


Something to Protect

by Wolfgodess12



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Adoption, Alpha Sesshoumaru (InuYasha), BAMF FEMALES, Daddy Issues, Drama, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family Feels, Family Issues, Kitsune, Pack Bonding, Pack Dynamics, Pack Feels, Revenge, Romance, Slow Burn, Something to Protect, The cages, War, vengeance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-08-23 10:52:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16617578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfgodess12/pseuds/Wolfgodess12
Summary: A vixen must teach her sisters how to survive in a world they have never seen before, while protecting them from an evil that wishes to over take them. Along the way she meet family she didn't know she had, reunites with a great demoness that took her in, and builds a pack with her son. Feeling are denied, wars are started and lives damaged by a kuro-kitsune seduced by a power gifted by the Kami.





	1. Kiyoko

Kiyoko

An infernal dripping echoed dully though out the dark underground dungeon. The first few years of listening to it, the young vixen was sure she was going to go mad, but after a hundred years she’d learned to tune it out for the other noises going on. Soft amethyst eyes open tiredly to look around the cages at the other vixens trapped. Many had been captured and imprisoned; others had been born into this hell. She was one of the few who’d been captured, and she scolded herself every chance she could for her mistake.

  
She felt a twitch at her side, taking her attention from her thoughts. She looked at the two young vixens, her sisters, she had met upon being thrown into the cages. She swore she’d protect them, for they never asked for this life. She tightened her black tails tightly around them, keeping them warm against the frigid air of the cells. She lifted her head up slightly to look across to the cages on the other side of the room, towards her mother. She was sick, she could see it from here. Her once fiery red hair was dulled and her skin tight against her cheek bones. Many vixens looked just like her mother. So many years in the cages had dulled them all.

Any whisper of conversation that was going on, went silent quickly. Heavy foot steps echoed above their heads. Her sisters where away now and shivering against her, and all the vixens echoed their fear. A silent snarl went to her lips as she glared above her head. She hated the male that kept her prisoner. He was a vile kitsune, who was seduced by power. A power that had been once gifted to him by the Kami. He was the reason all the vixen had been caged. His personal breeders for a pure kitsune army, though his own hubris allowed for a completely Kuro army.

His foot steps faded out as he walked off to other parts of his estate. She turned her attention to calming her sisters. She gave a quick glance over to her mother. She was still shivering, and that fear had exhausted her. She curled herself into the corner to sleep. She looked down to her sisters and took a deep breath, and on her exhale the area around them warmed.

“Tell us another story sister. Tell me about flowers again,” her youngest sister looked up with pleading green eyes. She smiled and nodded.

She watched out the corners of her eyes at some of her half-sisters tilting their head to listen to her. Like her full-blooded sisters next to her, they had never seen the outside world. The life they knew revolved around their prison. They only knew about things outside the walls through the vixens who’d been captured and brought here.

“Flowers are beautiful plants that add color to the world around them. There are red flowers and blue…” Her sister quickly interrupted with a smile.

“Like Izuma’s eyes?” at the mention of her name, the middle sister looked over smiling, her blue eyes twinkling.

“Yes Rikka, just like Izuma’s, and some of these flowers have medicinal benefits about them as well” she chuckled softly, but her soft smile faded as she looked at her youngest sisters’ expression.

“Do you think I’ll ever see what a flower looks like Kiyoko?” Rikka whispered quietly, a sad edge to her voice. The vixen frowned and looked off towards the doors guarded by some of their brothers. It was unfair what they had all had to endure. Foxes where never meant to be in cages.

“I will make sure of it Rikka. One day, you and Izuma will see the world. This I promise.” And her sisters knew what she said was true. A kitsune’s promise was important, and not something to be broken.

She quickly quieted them down and wrapped her pitch-black tails around them. They all looked off, thinking privately to themselves. Kiyoko looked towards the doors again. Watching the males standing guard at the door. She needed to figure out how she was going to free her little pack. Her eyes lazily went to look at the hole connecting her cage to the one where her sisters had once resided. She needed to figure out the magic that their sire had put on the cage doors. He had added stronger magic there after she broke into her sister’s cage to protect them.

All the cages had magic placed on them, to keep the vixen within. He had grown suspicious of her strength when she broke through the bars to get to Rikka and Izuma. No one, not even his strongest first-born son could break the cages. And because of her display of strength, she and her sisters had been watched like a hawk. There were now more guards down in the dungeons to watch all the vixens. This was only making her escape attempt that much harder to plan.

~Fox~

Time in the cages was non-existent so, Kiyoko wasn’t sure how long it had been since they spoke of flowers. They would go long periods between speaking. There wasn’t much to talk about when everything was the same day after day. At this particular moment, Kiyoko was standing stretching out her back. Her sisters sitting at her feet drawing figures into the dirt of their cell. Many vixens were standing, stretching out sore limps. They all instinctively knew that He wasn’t there. His immense aura had left the estate not long ago. Where he went, many cared not, only hoping he would never come back.

Kiyoko’s quick eyes watched one of her brothers wiggle slightly to scratch a spot on his back. She wrinkled her nose at him and looked away. She was disgusted with herself for the 4th time that day at being caught those 300 some odd years ago. Her sisters were barely a 100 when she had meet them. Her 4 tails swayed behind her as she looked long the walls, hoping that age had worn them down. If there was a crack, maybe she could…her thoughts were taken from her when she heard footsteps echoing in the room. She quickly turned to face the walk way that lay between walls of cages.

She noticed it was the brother from earlier who had been trying to get at an itch. She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to see what he was up too. It wasn’t odd for her brothers to dally with her other sisters. A disgusting pass time that their sire encouraged. Her brothers were not allowed to touch the vixens that where unrelated to them. Those vixens were for him and him alone. If her brothers needed to satisfy urges, they could sully their sisters.

She watched him closely, cause this time, he was acting strangely. His eyes were glazed, and his walk was stiff. He soon stopped outside her doors and turned to look inside. She growled lowly, warning him off. There was no way he’d be able to do anything inside her cage. She would kill him before he laid a finger on her or her sisters. She continued to focus on the male in front of her as all the vixens stood up to watch. She was unconsciously aware of even her mother standing and watching her daughters.

“Mako, what are you doing? Go to another vixen if you want to rut, that vixen will skin you alive before you have a chance to do anything.” She heard one of the other brothers holler out from the dungeon door.

Her eyes narrowed at the male before her, realizing that that was not what he was after. He didn’t make even the slightest of flinches when the brother called out to him. Mako, was not mentally here. One of her 4 tails twitched behind her as she analyzed the male. She heard her sisters move behind her, probably to hold on to each other, not realizing that that something was wrong with the male. Kiyoko became hyper focused when Mako lifted a hand to the door, as did the brother at the dungeon door.

“Mako! What the hell you doing!? Do you have a death wish?!” Again, the male before her didn’t answer which frustrated the brother at the door.

As if in slow motion, Mako grabbed onto the cage door, unlocked it and opened it widely. She heard the brother at the door scream out running to hopefully slam the cage door shut, but he was to late. Kiyoko sprung out of the door slamming the delirious male into the cage behind him. A wicked smile spread across her lips as the male’s eyes began to clear from his earlier enchantment. She held hm up off the ground with her right hand, as she continued to smile.

“I am unsure what come over you Little Brother but me and the rest of the vixens thank you.” She turned as the other brother tried to slow his run at her to turn back towards the door. His head was quickly separated from his shoulders and his body hit the ground with a quiet thud.

“Now, I can’t have alerting anyone else of my release.” She hadn’t moved an inch except for her left hand being held up in the air. A disappearance of light left the tip of 2 of her fingers. The only indication that she had used some kind of magic to decapitate the other male. She could smell the fear wafting off the male she held, and she chuckled softly.  
“Oh, do not fear me little brother I will not be killing you. No, I will leave you alive to tell sire of how we escaped.” His breath hitched, and his fear doubled as her tails twitched. She hadn’t had this much fun in years. She quickly knocked the male out and dropped him to the ground.

Leaving the male where he fell, she looked at all the females and held a finger to her lips telling them all to keep quiet. Not a sound could be heard as she slowly walked around and broke open all the cages freeing all the females from the cages. Her sisters made their way quickly to their mother, who hugged them. When everyone was standing in the little hallway, they looked to her for the next stage of the plan.

“Mother.” She spoke quietly but curtly. The female in question perked up and looked at her.

“You’ve escaped once before. You will lead them to the nearest door. I will distract the others while you escape.” She pinned her mother down with sharp eyes, daring her to argue. The female shivered and nodded. She twitched her nose and looked to Rikka and Izuma next. Her voice and face softening when she spoke.

“You two will follow her. I will find you when I’m done here.” The two sisters nodded and watched as Kiyoko walked through the crowd of vixens towards the door. She took a deep breath and stared at the door. The moment she broke through the door, she knew all hell would break loose. Closing her eyes, she centered herself. Flinging open her eyes she punched the wooded door, throwing it off its hinges. She stepped out and immediately saw males stopping in the tracks to stare at the noise and who made it.

“Hiya boys. Bet you didn’t expect this.” She laughed haughtily as her teeth lengthen and red bled into her eyes.

Some males fled in fear, and those who charged at her were slain at her claws. She heard her mother whisper to the females and followed after her daughter. Either her mother wasn’t going to listen to what she had said, or the way she was going was the way out. She’d figure it out later, for now she was having far too much fun slaying the males that followed their sire blindly.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed but it seemed far to quickly in Kiyoko’s opinion. She and the vixens stood in a grand hallway right next to a door Kiyoko was sure was the way out. She looked over at her mother whom was already leading the females to that very door. Behind her, she heard harsh running footsteps and knew that those who were among her sire’s army were coming to wrangle up all the female. She turned to stare down the hallway they were to come from. An immovable force, ready for blood.

“Run,” was the only word that fell from her lips and the vixens took off to the door. Some screamed in fear as the males came into view. An inhuman wind picked up around Kiyoko and her face elongated and her four tails unraveled into seven. The males skidded to a halt to stare at her, some of the mouths dropping open in shock.

The area around her burst out into black flames and some of the males screamed out into fear. They had found their fathers heir, the first born their sire had been trying to find. And his heir wasn’t a son to take over his kingdom. His heir wasn’t someone he’d be able to pamper with riches and concubines. His heir was one of the females he captured and thrown into a cage. Had starved and had let his sons try and rape. His heir was female, and she had had a hatred for him before she was ever capture. And there would be no way to get on her good side.

A large black coated vixen stood in the foyer of their fathers’ estate. The whites of her eyes were a deep dark purple with black cat like pupil’s. The males that had come to wrangle all the females back to the cages, scattered. Some running back towards they came, others running down random halls ways. They were all trying to get as far away from the female before them as the could. Kiyoko took a deep breath as she watched the chaos before her. Opening her mouth wide on her exhale, purplish black flames spewed out like a dragon’s flame. Males screamed out, not because of the flames touching them, but at feeling the torture they had done on other before. Each male that was touch by the flame, was being punished for the sins they committed while on the earth.

The black flame quickly over took the foyer of the estate and began to burn through out the home. While the flame punished those it touched, it ate away at the wood just like a normal flame. She could hear the screams of other males coming from father off into the estate. A smirk came to maw as she turned and walked out the doors of the estate. Every step she took, the ground shook. It felt amazing to be in her true form again. To be free as a kitsune felt divine. She looked up at the sky, seeing that it was dark out. A large white crescent moon hung in the sky, giving just a little light to the earth. She was free at last, and damn those that tried to take this away from her.

The wind picked up around her again as her body burst into black flames. As the flames dissipated, she stood in her mortal form once again. Her bare feet resting on the soft grass. Spring…it was spring. She smiled and remembered her promise. She’d be able to show Rikka the flowers. With out looking back at the burning estate, she made her way towards the woods. Leaving her personal hell behind her and her future before her. The future for her and her sisters. She knew he’d come for them, knew he’d hunt her down, but till such a day, she was going to show her sisters Japan. She was going to teach them how to live and survive outside the cages. A small voice told her she needed to figure out what had over come that one brother to open her cage, but for now she wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. She was going to appreciate this gift and think about that later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Name meanings:  
> Rikka – Tranquil Leader  
> Kiyoko – Pure and clean child  
> Izuma – can’t really find a name meaning. Izuna is the closest, meaning fountain or spring. Its also used to describe fox spirits.  
> Kuro - Black  
> This is something that's been stuck in my head for years. I hope you like it, please let me know what you think.


	2. Life

Life

It had been five, five beautiful glorious moons since their escape. She had met up with her sisters, and regrettably her mother, quickly after leaving the estate. Once together she made them move quickly to get as far away from the estate. It wasn’t safe to find shelter anywhere near the estate. He’d have the sons that survived combing every place they could in hopes of finding them. Though, she wondered what his he would have done to his eldest son upon finding out they escaped. She gleefully played out scenarios in her head at the thought of what he had done to the male upon realizing that he wasn’t his heir. That his heir was a female he kept locked in one of the cages. 

Those were fleeting thoughts when her little pack slept. When they were awake, she was hyper focused on keeping them moving. Her mother had asked her the day before when was the last time she had slept. Kiyoko stopped at the question as she thought hard on it. She hadn’t really slept deeply in a long time. She would doze while in the cages, keeping her senses on high alert. 

“Before I was capture, I suppose. Yes, before the cages was when I last slept deeply.” She spoke as they gather what little supplies, they had found along the way, before they headed out. Her other was quite shocked by her confession but said nothing as they moved out. It was midday when they stopped for a rest. Her family wasn’t strong enough to move all day long without stopping. It was at these times that Kiyoko was on high alert. She was always on alert, but with her pack weak and resting, they were more vulnerable now then on the move.

“Sister, where are we?” The youngest sister, Rikka, spoke. Kiyoko looked at her out the corner of her eye. It was then she took in her appearance. Her little red headed sister was dirty and grungy. In the cages she never had had a proper bath. And the kimono she wore was small and torn. She looked to Izuma and her mother, Moriko, and they didn’t look much different. Their hair was disheveled, and their Kimono’s were torn and ragged. She looked off and lifted her head up to sniff around. 

“Somewhere in the west. I was once saved by an Inu of the West. I can only hope that the great Inu family still reigns over this territory.” Her mother looked shocked at the mention of being saved by an Inuyokai, her sisters just tilted their heads in confusion. 

“Why do you hope the Inu reign over the west?” Izuma spoke up. Rikka watched her eldest sister waiting for the answer.

“Because the Inu of the West are strong and mighty. Sire will be hesitant to step foot anywhere in their territory. That gives us the protection we desperately need while you three recover your strength.” Her sisters took what she said thinking it over. 

“Do you think we’ll ever see them? What do they look like?” Rikka was curious about everything around her. She desperately wanted to learn about her new world. Izuma went along with what ever he sister wanted, so long as it was safe.

“I sure hope not, Inuyokai are scary beasts.” Moriko spoke up then visibly shaking at the idea of running into an Inu. Kiyoko rolled her eyes at her while her sisters looked to their mother with curiosity. 

“What do you mean their scary mother?” Rikka asked head tilting. Moriko opened her mouth to speak but Kiyoko cut her off.

“Inuyokai are large canine yokai. You fall into that grouping, but foxes are smaller. Inu rely on brute strength and cunning to push through the world. The great Inu of the West are rare white Inu’s. I was saved by the Lady of the West. But I do not know if they even still rule. As for running into them, I do not know. That’s just something we’ll deal with if the time comes.” She motioned for her pack to stand and began walking off in the of a hot spring she had smelt. 

The smell was far off, but she felt confidante that they’d make it to the spring before night fall. There they would make camp and get everyone cleaned. She’d have to leave her sisters in a den, so she could go hunt and hopefully come across a human village to steal some cloths for her sisters and mother to change into. She didn’t want to steal any more than that. She didn’t want to have a holy person summoned to find them and purify them.

 

~Fox~

 

They made it to the hot spring quicker then Kiyoko expected. She looked around to see what was around that she could use as a den to hide her family in, while she hunted. Finding nothing, she looked up into the trees. They were thick with dense leaves and branches, and seeing this as her best bet, turned to her little family. 

“Alright you three, you’re going to have to climb up and hide in the branches while I hunt.” All three looked at her then up the tree. Her mother sighed, but knew it was the safest spot, but her sisters looked at her confused.

“How exactly are we supposed to get up there?” Izuma looked at Kiyoko liked she’d grown a second head, making Kiyoko sigh and curse her sire privately in her mind. 

“Since you’ve never done this, I’ll put you up there but when I get back and you’ve eaten the both of you are going to have to practice this.” Picking up Rikka, who looked at her confused, Kiyoko jumped up into the trees making Rikka squeak in surprise. 

“Now, do not get down till I get back. And stay hidden in the leaves. If you feel like you’re going to fall, wrap your tails around the trunk of the tree.” At her suggestion, Rikka wrapped her two tails around the trunk and hugged the tree to help keep her balance. 

The tree swayed slightly as her mother jumped into the branches and made herself comfortable on a branch. Kiyoko was quick to jump down and grab Izuma, only to jump back into the tree and place her on a branch above but beside Rikka. Seeing how her sister was holding herself in the tree, Izuma did the same. Wrapping her two tails around the trunk and hugging the tree. 

“You three need to stay as quiet as possible. No noise and not talking. When I get back, I’ll bring you down to eat.” Both sisters nodded, and Kiyoko looked towards her sickly mother.

“I’ll keep an eye out for anything dangerous. If its spots us, I’ll call out for you.” Her mother said off handedly, only to earn a roll of the eyes from her eldest. A motherly part of her wanted to scold her child for the disrespect, but the yokai side of her knew that Kiyoko was Alpha. She’d given up right to being Kiyoko’s Alpha the day she abandoned her 400 some of years ago. 

With the knowledge that her family was safe, Kiyoko jumped down from the tree and scanned the area around her. She didn’t sense a yokai for miles and with that thought in mind she walked off to hunt. When she was far enough away from her family, the wind picked up around her and she burst into flame. Unlike before, when she was revealed from the fire, she was a Kuro Kitsune the size of a horse, not a 50-foot building. 

This form was very comfortable to her. She started walking, lifting her nose into the air to scent out prey. She needed something that would fill the bellies of two adolescent vixens and two full grown vixens. If worse came to worse, shed let her family eat and hunt for herself another time. She walked around sniffing bushes and occasionally examining animal prints along the forest floor. She found herself following a scent towards the edge of the woods. Out in a little glade, a small herd of deer grazed, oblivious to the pair of amethyst eyes watching them. She regarded each deer carefully, trying to pick out the perfect meal for her family. 

This wasn’t the first time she hunted since freeing her family. Her first hunt had just been a glorified chase. She had been to happy to be running after something to actually hunt properly. After that, she had to make sure she got something. Her first successful hunt was a rabbit, and her sisters got to try rabbit for the first time. The next hunt, she was able to fish out quite a few carp for the family to eat. Rikka Loved fish, Izuma not so much, but not picky enough to turn down the food. She hopped this time shed be able to bring back a deer and see how her sisters faired with venison. 

Eyeing the deer, she was going to take, she bolted from her cover quick to over take the animal before it realized it was being chased. A quick bite to the neck, snapped the vertebra. The other deer realizing something shot out at them dashed off not even looking back to see what it was. The now deceased deer lay at her feet and she looked around to make sure nothing was around to see her hunt. Feeling like things were safe, she picked up the deer by the neck and carried it off to where she left her family. 

She stopped frequently to make sure nothing was following her. The last thing she needed was something following her back to where her pack hid, putting them into danger. When she made it back, she laid the deer down and looked around one more time. She was glad her sisters remembered their first lesson of being in the wild. Just because sister was back, doesn’t mean we can come out or call to her till she deems it safe. With the coast clear, she burst into flame and was once again in her mortal form. She was quick to jump into the tree and bring down her sisters, as her mother made her way to the ground herself. Their relationship was still to strained for either of them to be okay with Kiyoko helping Moriko out of the tree. 

“It smells so good sister, what is it?” Izuma asked enthusiastically. She smiled glad to see Izuma salivating at the sight of the deer. Rikka was pretty much in a similar state.

“It’s called a deer. Come sisters, mother, we will feast upon this animal and fill our bellies to capacity.” Rikka and Izuma were quick to dig in, cutting off meat and eating with gusto. Their faces, arms and kimonos becoming drenched in blood. Moriko and Kiyoko ate at a slower pace, and far less messy then the two young vixens. When their bellies were full both sisters laid down next to each other and sighed happily. When all were done, there wasn’t much left of the deer. Standing up, Kiyoko stretched and called for her family to follow her. Moriko followed easily, the younger sisters struggled to move with such full bellies, and Kiyoko chuckled at this. 

“We are going to bath sisters.” Kiyoko finally spoke up as they came upon the hot spring that Kiyoko had purposely headed towards all day. Her mother was over joyed at the idea of a bath. Her sisters had never experienced such a thing and were confused. 

“You are to undress from your filthy cloths and get into the water. The water is warm and will relax you and you can wash off the blood from your bodies. As well as the mud and grim you’ve collected over the years in the cages.” Both seem excited at that idea. 

“think of it as being renewed. This is you from the cages.” She motioned to them in the now.

“When you are done with the bath, you will be the free you.” Both quickly undressed after hearing that. In their haste to get out of the cloths they wore they ripped them more then they already were. They were slipping into the water hissing at the warmth, as Kiyoko walked around picking up the cloths, they discarded. Making a quick pile of her pack’s cloths, she set it on fire.

“And what exactly are we going to wear when we get out of the water Kiyoko.” Her mother chastised from the water. Kiyoko was removing her own cloths and throwing them in the fire. Her long black hair covering to mid back.

“After I bath, I plan on making my way to the closest human settlement and stealing new kimonos for you three, mother dearest.” She dug back at her mother. Moriko looked away from her daughter not wanting to look her alpha in the eye. Kiyoko wrinkled her nose before stepping into the water and sighing happily.

After relaxing in the water, she turned to Rikka who was closest, and began running her fingers through her hair. When her and her sisters were finally sharing the same cages, they started running their fingers through each other’s hair taking out the tangles. Izuma saw what they were doing and went to start on her mothers. Moriko was happy for the attention. When Izuma was done, Moriko did the same in return to her with the same happening between Rikka and Kiyoko. After scrubbing their skin clean, Kiyoko got out and wrung the water from her hair. 

“You three are going to need to transform into your fox more and hide in the bushes while I go to the human village. Or you can jump into the tree like earlier.” Her little pack stood outside the water wringing out their hair as well thinking on what she said. Her mother transformed into a red kitsune the size of a horse and made her way into the under brush wanting to keep her feet on the ground. Her sisters, after feeling safe in the trees while their sister was gone, tried jumping into the trees. 

Kiyoko watch critically as Rikka jumped and failed horribly. Izuma didn’t do any better. She let them try a few more times before walking over. She showed them how to bend their knees properly and stretch out their tail for balance. She told them how to eye the branch their wanting to jump too and told them to jump. Izuma got it on the first time. She yipped happily before climbing up another branch to be fully hidden in the branches. Rikka tried three times before she finally got it. Both sisters yipped happily that they had jumped into the tree by themselves. Kiyoko yipped happily but warningly for them to keep quiet. Rikka nodded and climbed up the tree a little more so she would be hiding fully by the branch. 

With both sisters completely covered by the leaves and branches, Kiyoko quickly transform. She looked to where her mother was hiding to make sure she was fine before trotting off. She needed to go get the cloths quickly, so she could get her family clothed and asleep before the moon hung high above their head.

 

~Fox~

 

The human village was quick to find. She hid in the trees watching the little town. Not many people were out, which was good. She transformed into her mortal form and grabbed a leaf from the tree above her head. Casting an illusion spell, she placed the leaf upon her forehead and to all around her she wasn’t visible. Walking into the village, she watched everything around her. This was a pretty decent sized village, which meant they had some kind of priest or priestess watching over them. She needed to find the Kimono’s quickly and get out of there. 

She’d poked her head into quiet a few homes, seeing nothing but families and what they needed to survive. She had no use for their stuff nor did she want to take anything they needed to live. She found her way to the headman’s home and slipped inside. She saw light coming from a room, heard voices and smelt food wafting from it. She heard some man asking a woman to bare him a child and a loud thunk, followed by a ‘you lecher’. What ever was going on in there she wanted no part of it. She hurriedly made her way pass the room.

She found her way into a bedroom of a young woman and smiled. She prayed that she’d be able to find some cloths for her pack here. She found a little closet and smiled upon seeing many kimonos hanging, but they were extravagant cloths. Not something her family could wear walking around the country side. She walked out of the room and off to find a maid’s room. Hopefully she’d be able to find more suitable attire there for her pack. Finding the sleeping quarters, for what smelt like a dozen different maid’s, she was able to swipe some kimonos from them. These would work perfectly for her pack. She even contemplated taking one for herself, since there were plenty when she heard talking coming from the hall.

“You sure you smell a Vixen Inuyasha? I haven’t seen a Vixen in a long time.” A very male voice asked. 

“Shut it monk, I’m trying to listen.” A new male voice was heard.

Kiyoko glared towards the hall. What was a monk doing walking around with a half demon? She could smell it on him. Yokai and humanity mixed together. She tilted her head in thought at the Inu she smelt coming for the half demon, be decided to count her luck gone and quickly climbed out a window. She heard shuffling from the room she just left and a brash curse coming for one of the males. Not wanting to find out who she ran across the roof of the estate. She could hear many people moving inside the house.

This time she cursed when she saw a demon slayer run out the side of the building to look up at the roof. She was happy her illusion spell was still in place, but she hadn’t expected there to be demons in a very human village or she would have hidden her scent. Jumping into a tree next to the estate she plucked at acorns hanging before jumping down from the tree to run. She could hear the someone running after her, more then likely the half demon, for they sounded fast. 

Jumping high into the air, she threw her magically charged acorns and in puffs of clouds miniature foxes appeared. Yips, screams and cries distracted the little group, giving her time to escape and leave the village behind. Well, at least her sister and mother would have cloths to wear. Once she felt safe enough to stop running, she looked around her to make sure the coast was clear. No one seemed to be following her, so she quickly turned and made her way to her family.

Once back with her pack and signaling that the coast was clear she had them dress quickly. She was still on high alert and didn’t feel safe bunkering here for the night. Her mother helped dress her youngest daughters, seeing that her eldest was preoccupied with looking around. With them all dressed she quickly transformed to her largest form and looked to her family expectantly. 

“She wants us to get on her back. Go daughters. Something has her spooked and she wants to move us away from here.” Her sisters didn’t say a word as the quickly jumping on to her back. She would praise them later on their skills. With her family safely tucked away on her back she took off. Leaving their little hot spring behind.

When the half-demon finally found where they once were, all him and his group would find were the remains of a deer and tattered ripped cloths. The monk would comment that the females that had once worn this must of escaped from some place. And a young fox kit would cry out ‘momma’, as he took a tattered kimono from the monks’ hands and cry about the loss of his mother, once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Name meaning:  
> Moriko – Fragrance of the forest
> 
> I was able to get 2 chapters out tonight. Again, let me know what you thinking. I really want the feed back.


	3. Family

Family

Kiyoko didn’t stop that night, leaving her family to burrow into her fur to sleep. She was far to frazzled to stop and relax. She traveled way into the morning, as well, only stopping when her sisters said they needed to relieve themselves. She didn’t want to stop, but the needs of her sisters out weighed her need to run. Taking a deep breath, she did her best to calm herself before laying down upon the ground, so her family could slide off. She watched them look around before going into the tree for privacy. She looked around at where they were and perked up. There she stood on the edge of a field, filled with many colors of flowers.

Bursting into flames, she transformed into her smaller fox form, and sat looking around her. Her family walked up next to her and her sisters gasped. She watched as Rikka slowly walked into the field and knelt down on the ground. Her small hand attentively reached out to brush against a soft pink flower. Kiyoko could smell tears as she heard Rikka speak.

“Are…are these flowers?” and Kiyoko smiled. She’d have to make sure they stopped to play in the flowers often, just so she could see the look on Rikka’s face again and again.

“Yes, sister,” Her canine mouth moved, “You are looking at Flowers. Pick one and take a sniff at the petals.” Their mother stared at Kiyoko, at that moment wondering just how strong her first born was to be able to speak while in her fox form.

Kiyoko ignored her mother as she led Izuma to where their sister sat. She watched as Rikka carefully plucked the pink flower and brought it to her nose to smell. A look of genuine awe crossed her face as she looked over at Izuma and held out the flower.

“Sister, look at it, smell it. Its amazing!” Izuma afraid to touch the delicate flower, leaned in to take a small sniff. She took looked at the flower in shock at its soft floral scent.

“We will relax her for a little while. I will make sure in the future, we stop at fields of flowers as often as we can.” Kiyoko spoke, and her younger sisters nodded as they look around at all the flowers.

Kiyoko moved a few paces away and looked around the field, sniffing the air to make sure everything was safe. Once she felt it was safe, she laid down in the field and closed her eyes. It was nice to be able to sun bathe again. She drifted into a light sleep, her ears listening to everything around her, so that her family remained safe.

 

~Fox~

 

The next few weeks were calm for the little Kitsune family. Kiyoko made sure to stay away from any human village, worried word had gotten around after her little heist. With out any cloths, Kiyoko decided it was decent of her to walk around in her Fox form. Her sisters were also very inquisitive about the world around them. And Kiyoko and her mother tried their best to answer their questions. The day was a calm one, but something told Kiyoko that it wasn’t going to last.

Making their way to a field of flowers, her sisters ran out but, in their excitement, forgot to check their surroundings. In the field they had run into a herd of Oni milling around in the son. Noticing the tiny sisters, the Oni roared and began charging at their easy meal. Kiyoko’s ears perked up at hearing the roar and the following scream of her sister. She took off running, with her mother slowly following behind.

Her muscles contracted and then released, thrusting her from the trees and slamming her body into the closest Oni. He slammed into the ground, with Kiyoko sliding over him then skidding across the ground. Her four tails fanned out behind her and she snarled at the Oni. She counted three as two left standing turned to look at her and the one she tackled began to pick himself up. With their focus on her, her mother was able to usher the two sisters into the safety of the trees.

One of the Oni, a large red on, lifted his hands above his head and swung them down, planning on slamming her into the ground. She quickly dodged and felt the ground shake as his massive fists hit the ground. Moving quickly, she dodged and weaved her way through their legs, causing the Oni great confusion. Arms swung, slammed and hit the ground or each other. The three Oni began to become frustrated. They could not catch the small Kitsune, and they kept hitting each other. A blue Oni, the one she tackled, swung his arm and smacked one of the red Oni in the face. A pained and angered roar left his mouth and a fight broke out between the small herd.

Trotting away, Kiyoko watched the Oni fight. A kitsune grin spread on her lips. It was easy to trick Oni, and entertaining to watch them take each other out. She wrinkled her nose in disgust as an arm was ripped from the blue Oni. She watched it fly through the air and land in the center of the field. The creature screamed in pain at the loss of his arm. He was quickly over taken by the two red Oni, and just like that the Oni had a meal. Kiyoko nearly gagged at the smell of blood and the sound of them sloppily eating their meal. Standing, she shook herself off and walked into the trees.

Her little pack sat behind a tree watching the goings in the field. Tilting her head to the side, she motioned them to follow and led them far from that field. No words were spoken. She could smell the shame and slight fear coming from her sisters. She was glad that they were a little shamed. In their blind excitement to go to the flowers, they almost got themselves killed. But at the moments, Kiyoko had no plans on scolding them. For now, she needed to get them away from here. The noises and smells were sure to attract other creatures looking for an easy meal, and she didn’t want her sisters near when this happened.

 

~Fox~

 

That night, everyone laid thinking their own thoughts. Kiyoko sat looking up at the sky watching the stars. This was her pass time most nights. She could not get enough of watching them twinkle and shine. She heard one of her pack members move behind her but paid no mind. If they wanted her attention, they would speak up. She blinked at the sudden nudge to the underside of her chin. Looking down with out moving her head, she saw a head of Red hair.

“Yes Rikka?” She spoke softly, and her sister nuzzled more into her throat.

“I’m sorry. I will make sure to be more aware of my surroundings.” A head of black hair nuzzled into the other side of her throat.

“Yes, I’m sorry too. I will take better care of looking out for thing that want harm on me and my sister.” Izuma spoke. Kiyoko smiled and rubbed her chin over their heads.

“You are forgiven.” She spoke softly and felt her sisters sigh in relief. “Now you need to get some sleep, we continue moving at first light.”

Her sisters nodded and moved to where they had been laying before and curled up to each other. She looked at their little camp and spotted her mother. Despite their strained relationship, she was generally worried for her. She was still sickly, and even though she ate well, she wasn’t putting on the weight like her daughters. She was worried that they would be saying good but to their mother soon. Pushing that depressing thought from her mind, she curled up and closed her eyes lightly dozing, but very much alert to things around her.

Morning came quickly, and Kiyoko and her pack began to move again. Everything seemed calm till a roar echoed around them. Kiyoko looked around her trying to figure out where the roar came from and spotted something she really didn’t want to see. An Oni was charging at them from behind. Whipping one of her tails behind her, a ball of fire rushed pass her and ignited the ground in front of them. The Oni skidded to a halt and roared out its rage. Her family moved behind her and clung to each other as she stared the Oni down.

He smelt like one of the Oni she had trick yesterday, but he was different. The once red Oni now had blotched of purple spread out over his body. And something, unnatural was pulsing off him. What ever it was, if he was willing to hunt them down, Kiyoko needed to kill him this time. A snarl ripped past her lips and she took off at him. Jumping into the air she landed on the creatures’ shoulders, and quicker then he could swing, one of her tails was through the creature’s throat.

A sputtering noise came from his mouth as he fell forward, landing in the flames still burning before him. She went with him, easily balancing her way down and sitting on his back as he landed face first. Wrinkling her nose in disgust, she violently pulled her tail out of his neck, and looked at the blood dripping from it. Holding her tail out into the first, she watched the black flames burn away the blood. Jumping from the Oni’s back the tail wound itself around another, making her look to have four tails once more.

She sat down and watched the Oni burn in the flames. She knew he wouldn’t be able to make a recovery, but she wanted the satisfaction of knowing he was not going to get back up and follow. She heard her family sit down behind her, as they waited for her orders to move out. It didn’t take much longer for the creature to fully burn away. She stood and stretched, readying herself to move on when she saw it. A small glittering stone lay in the center of the fire. She stared at it intently. This was the unnatural feeling she was getting from the Oni. Slowly unraveling one of her tails, she reached into the fire and picked up the small jewel.

The fur on the back of her neck raised and she snarled at the stone. Evil pulsed through it, making her sick to her stomach. She went the place it on the ground but stopped. If she could feel this, this evil pulsing off it, then others would feel it as well. What ever this thing was, it wanted to corrupt those who touched. A soft breeze brushed past her bring a whisper. ‘Hold on to it. The protector of the jewel will find you.’ She snarled slightly at the words. She didn’t have time to play games. She may be a vessel to the Kami, but she had an obligation to her pack first. Even though she wanted nothing to do with this jewel, she wrapped the tail that held with into another and began moving.

She didn’t want to heed the Kami’s words, but she knew she had to listen. Her sisters and mother looked at her confused, wanting to know what was going on, but didn’t speak up. They quickly followed after her. If she wanted to speak on it, they knew she’d tell them. But Kiyoko didn’t want to talk about it. She only hoped that whom ever the ‘protector’ was, would show up quickly so she could be done with this stupid task.

 

~Fox~

 

Kiyoko was beyond pissed. Her angry aura pulsed around her. Three days, three days with this infuriating jewel, and all manner of evil was finding them. Her eyes were wide and tight as she watched with a sort of sick glee as a large mantis demon burned in front of her. The moment this so-called protector showed themselves, she was going to give them a piece of her mind. Her sisters and mother made sure to stay as far away from her as the safely could. They needed to stay closes for protection, but her pulsing aura was making them want to run. They jumped slightly as Kiyoko’s head slowly turned to look at them. She looked ready to spit fire.

“We move, now.” She calmly ordered. Her voice sending a shiver down her mothers’ spine. Her sisters just nodded.

Slowly she turned her head away from them and began walking, leaving the mantis to burn itself out. Her sisters tip toed past the body before running after their sister. Their mother close on their tail. Kiyoko’s normal graceful walk was not sharp and stiff. Her ears were pinned back as she glared in front of her. She just wanted to go back to her peaceful travels. Teach her sisters how to survive and prepare herself for the day her Sire hunted them down.

Her angry walk led her into a field. She didn’t even look or sniff to see if anything was around. If they were dumb enough to attack her, they’d face the wrath all those before them. And it seemed someone wanted to face that wrath. Her sisters and mother clung to each other as a loud yell and male clothed in red jumped out into the field.

“Give me the Jewel fox or die.” The red clad male hollered. Kiyoko’s eye twitched.

She watched as a group quickly joined the male, and her frustration grew. That was the demon slayer she spotted at that one human village. She couldn’t believe her luck. She was getting fed up with this stupid little mission she was tasked with. She even had the audacity to glare up at the sky.

“Why…. why do you do this to me...” She asked out loud, more to herself then anything. The demon slayer perked up and stared at her.

“Did that kitsune just speak?” Kiyoko watched as the slayer turned her head to look at a monk and a young girl in a scantily clad green kimono.

“It would seem, maybe the jewel gave her the power?” the monk questioned looking from the slayer to Kiyoko.

“Who are you speaking too?” came the voice of the young girl, in the short green kimono. She moved around the Monk to be upfront to talk. In her arms, she held a small kit. This surprised the vixen. She could feel a mass amount of holy energy flowing off the girl, and yet she clutched the kit close. Her confusion was gone when she heard her mother scream.

“Shippou!” was all that was heard as the older vixen began to run to the group. She watched the half-demon rush at her, sword over his head. She rushed at her mother, wrapping a tail around her waist and pulled her back toward her sisters.

She heard the male yell some battle cry and a strong destructive energy rushing at them. Black flames rushed up around her and her pack, blocking them form the destructive attack. She could hear a small voice crying, the young woman screaming at the half-demon. Her barrier disappeared, and she stared at the group. She stalked forward, leaving her pack clutching each other. The group stopped arguing and stared at the Vixen, readying their weapons. She scuffed inwardly. They were no where near her strength. Black flame quickly exploded around her as she shifted into her larger form.

Now standing much larger than before, she unraveled her tails fanning out all 7 of them behind her. She heard the Slayer curse, but all went silent as a loud roar bellowed out of her throat. She watched the half demon lift his sword and she quickly swatted him, sending him flying through the trees. She heard many trees crunch from the impact. The slayer jumped on the back of a large neko and fly into the sky, throwing her large weapon. She felt the stinging pain along her shoulder and up her neck as the weapon made contact.

Enraged now, she took in a deep breath, before releasing out her black flame much like a dragon. The ground erupted burning everything before her. She watched as the slayer rushed to the ground grabbing her friends before they were engulfed in the flame.

“What kind of fire is that?! I didn’t know kitsunes had a black flame.” The young female spoke, clinging to Shippou.

“She’s a Kuro! A Kuro! Stay away from those flames! That’s Hell fire!” Shippou screamed, shaking in fear. He screamed when Kiyoko turned to look at them flying. Her tails whipped behind her as she stared down the group. They weren’t sure what to do.

“Kagome, where’s the jewel shard? We need to find it and get out of here. We’re no where near strong enough to take a Kitsune of seven tail, let alone a True Kuro.” The monk spoke, causing Kiyoko to stare at him.

“Uh...uh…it’s in one of her tails…. That one!” She pointed at a tail Kiyoko was keeping close to her body. Kiyoko look from the tail to Kagome. ‘The protect of the jewel will find you’ echoed in her mind and she sighed. Of course, this was going to be how they met.

Moving one of her tails, she swung it across the ground and the fire disappeared. The group in the air flinched but watched with confusion. Black flame rushed around her bringing her back to her smaller form. She stared up at them, waiting to see what they do, and they didn’t disappoint. Curiosity got the better of them, and the slowly made their way to the ground. The young woman, Kagome she told herself, slipped off the Neko first and looked at her.

“I found it, three days ago. We were attacked by an Oni, and after I burned his body, it laid where he was. I planned on leaving it but was told to take it with me. ‘The protect of the Jewel will find me’, was all I was told. You are a vessel for the kami, to protect this jewel yes?” She stared down the young woman. She nodded slightly, as her friends moved behind her.

“I am a vessel of the Kami of Death.” She stared blankly at them as they gasped slightly.

“I do not need your Jewel. Here, take it.” Her tail reached out in front of her. The young woman Kagome cautiously moved towards her and plucked the jewel from her tail. Kiyoko watched as the jewel went from a dark purple to a soft pale pink. And she sighed in relief. She didn’t have to worry about it any longer.

A whimper caught her attention and she looked to her mother who was staring at the young fox kit in earnest. She nodded her head and her mother went running to the young kit and scooped him up. She cried and rocked him. Telling him she was so sorry and how much she loved him. He was crying and clinging to her back, screaming about how much he missed her. She heard the young woman sniffling beside her.

“So, tell me, how did you come by the Kit?” The young woman looked to her and gave a sad smile.

“It’s a long story.” She spoke softly, and the Vixen shrugged.

“We’ve got time. They’re not going to want to move now that they have each other.” She nodded towards her mother, and apparently her new brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized after writing this, i haven't really given much of a description of everyone. I'll make sure to add it to the next chapter. please leave me a review, i want to know what everyone thinks. Ta ta for now.


	4. History

History

That night, they bunkered down with the group of shard hunters. Inuyasha was not happy about it, nor was Kiyoko, but for the sake of her mother, she stayed. She watched passively as the half-demon screamed and hollered about how the kitsunes couldn’t be trusted. They were just waiting for them to go to sleep, so they could kill the group and take the shards for themselves. Kiyoko said nothing for she didn’t need to explain herself to the annoying male. She could feel the young priestess getting angry at the male till she couldn’t hold it in anymore and yelled ‘sit’. And to Kiyoko’s great amusement, the half-demon plummeted face first into the ground.

“This is in genius.” She screeched in great amusement as she hoped over to the downed male. She heard incomprehensible mumbling from the male before looking at the young girl.

“How did you do that?” she looked over at the younger female and watched her blush under her packs gaze.

“It’s the beads around his next. Their subjugation beads. I tell him to sit,” The male was pulled into the ground again and Kiyoko smiled at his discomfort.

“Oh! I’m sorry Inuyasha, I didn’t mean that one.” She put her hands over her mouth blushing a dark scarlet. The vixen cackled and moved from the male.

“Well, I think he deserved it. He was diminishing your authority as Alpha female.” She moved away from the male as he started pulling his body from the ground. Kagome looked at her confused.

“What do you mean by Alpha female?” spoke the priestess.

“In canine packs there’s normally an alpha male and an alpha female Kagome. Everyone listens to what you have to say, and you care for everyone’s needs. Your also protective of all of us.” The slayer Sango spoke up. The vixen looked at the woman confused at first but brushed it off. To fight your enemy, you needed to know your enemy.

“Your slayer friend is correct. You also keep your alpha male calm or put him in his place when he is out of line.” She eyed the half-demon who was glaring at her. His mouth opened to rebut her words but quickly shut it at the angered look on Kagome’s face.

Everyone settled down after that, and Kiyoko ignored them. She looked around at the glade they now found themselves in. They had left the sight of their battle when Inuyasha had made his way back. He had come back with branches and leaves sticking out of his cloths and hair. It was amusing watching him angered at being knocked away from the fight and come back to everyone talking. She looked over to her mother who was running her fingers through her son’s hair, talking to him and her sisters. She wondered what the Kit would do. Would he come with them, or beg his mother to join his friends? She’d let him figure it out on his own.

“Lady Kiyoko, I have a question for you.” She looked over to see the monk looking at her. She didn’t say anything, but Miroku was quick to realize she was paying attention.

“Earlier, you said you and Kagome were vessels to the Kami. And you mentioned the Kami of death? What was your meaning?” At this Kagome perked up, curious at the topic as well.

“Yes, are you some kind of sprite to the Kami?” Sango asked. It wasn’t lost on any of them that Kitsunes tended to be the favored sprites among the kami.

“No. Sprites…. sprites tend to the kami, or a favored object of the kami. A vessel is created to complete some kind of mission of the kami.” She looked to Kagome at this.

“You are the protector of this Jewel correct?” Kagome nodded softly, staring at the vixen with wide eyes.

“Then I can assume this is the Jewel. The Shikon Jewel correct?” a confused looked crossed the woman’s face but she nodded.

“I have been locked in a cage for four hundred years, I heard whispers about it when I was around three hundred or so. But I had much more important things to focus on then a jewel.” The group blinked in confusion but said nothing at her declaration.

“Now, the creation of the jewel was a mistake. It brings pain and destruction in its wake, correct…” the priestess nodded, and Kiyoko nodded, “Then you were creature by the Kami to be their vessel to fix that mistake. And it’s not just about the jewel, its about the pain and ruin that surrounds that thing that you are meant to fix.” Kagome looked down at her knees thinking.

“Then I am just a pawn for the Kami? I don’t have a choice?” she said sadly, and the monk and slayer glared at the vixen for hurting their friend. Kiyoko ignored them.

“A choice? Everything is your choice. The Kami do not control the path you walk. You were created to change and fix a mistake. And maybe the jewel isn’t the only thing you are to fix. At this point in time, you are meant to fix what the jewel has caused. And at the end of the day, everyone is a vessel, just some more then others.” Kagome looked at her, thinking of existences in the past, and what the future held.

“And what about you, Kiyoko?” Miroku spoke again, looking at the vixen, and she looked away. She stared off into the sky, watching the stares. They watched her, beginning to wonder if she was going to answer at all.

“You believe in reincarnation, don’t you monk.” The word brought a bad taste to the priestess tongue, but she kept quiet. She saw the monk node his head out the corner of her eye and she continued.

“Before the jewel was created, war was destroying the land. Humans and demons alike were harming everything around them. Killing, raping, torturing; any form of evil they could do. Izanami-Kami-Sama was growing tired of all these souls she was having to take in. You see, when a soul is brought to the underworld, depending on the sins they committed in life, they are…burned I guess you can say, by the fires of hell. This in a way cleanses away their sins so when the soul moves on to their next life, their new in a way.” Everyone, even her pack were listening in on the story.

“And depending on the severity of the sins, was how long a soul had to stay and be cleansed. And at the rate of how Japan was going, Izanami-Kami-Sama, was having difficulty cleansing the souls to give back to her estranged husband, Izanagi-Kami-Sama, to bring back to the land of the living. And at this time, four brothers, were watching the destruction around them, and were upset with all the evil.” At this Kiyoko looked down at the ground.

“Izanami-Kami-Sama, met them one day, as they made their way to hell. How they died, I was never told. But Kami-Sama saw how badly they wished they could change their world, even though they were dead. The four kitsune brothers were given a gift from her and sent back to the world of the living. Their mission, to go around and punish those who committed great evil. She had gifted them with the black fires of hell, and with it would burn those who sinned. And those who were punished, were given a choice, change your ways. Move on from this moment, and refrain from sinning or be burned alive and sent to hell to burn.” Her sisters scooted forward, sitting close to her. The group of shard hunters were just as entranced by the story.

“That is how the Kuro Kitsune was born. Their mission in life was to change the bath of those who committed great evils. But as the case with anything done for good, evil always tries to destroy it. My uncles did as they were created to do. But they also lived. They quickly found mates and found that their first born would gain their gift. So that they could move forth and continue the mission of their fathers. My sire was quickly corrupted by his gift. He felt that him and his brothers were perfect. That they were meant to rule Japan and have everyone bow to them. Why else would the Kami gift them with such strength?” Kiyoko’s lips sneered, and her tails wrapped around her. The talk of her sire angering her greatly.

“He decided he needed army, but a regular kitsune army would not be sufficient. He needed to build a perfect army. Now, there have always been black coated kitsunes, but they were rare. So, finding a lot for his army would be difficult, so his solution was to breed an army. He already knew his first born would gain his power, but assumed it meant to his first-born son. His brothers had sons and they gained their fathers gifts. So, he went around kidnapping and raping vixens. Forcing them to carry his kits. He kept them close, waiting for his first-born son. But my uncles heard what he had done, what he had become. And they came to stop him. They tried reasoning with him but in the end a fight broke out.” Her mother Moriko held Shippou close. Not wanting to remember those days.

“In the resulting battle, the vixen’s scattered. My sire was distracted and couldn’t go gather them back up. In his rage he killed his brothers. And to punish them more, when and murdered their children and took their mates for himself. And learning from this attack, began building himself an estate. Inside that estate he built cages and would lock any vixen he found into them. His personal breeders. But he still hunted for his first group of females. It was during this time, mother gave birth to me. And it wasn’t long before she realized what I was. She raised me till I was able to care for myself and then left.” She sighed and looked off at the sky.

“It wasn’t long after, that I was told what I had to do. A whisper on the wind, saying I was to fix the sins of my sire. And become what my uncle were and what he should have been.” She looked at Kagome then.

“I was given a mission, but I get to choose the outcome. The kami drop hints now and again, stuff to take you off the path you were going to jump on something small. Like today. My mission has been to destroy my sire, and to keep my family safe. But I was diverted slightly to meet you all. Maybe it was so my mother and the Kit could be reunited. Maybe it was so I could meet you. But at the end of the day, you are not controlled by the Kami. They have given you a start and tools to begin your path, where you walk and what you do, is up to you.”

~Fox~

Morning had the two groups standing apart from the other. Shippou decided he wanted to be with his mother, whom wished to stay with her daughters. He cried as he hugged Kagome, missing her already. Kiyoko was humbled by this miss matched group and was happy that her little brother had been able to meet such a group. Human or demon alike would have left him for dead.

“Shippou…” Kiyoko spoke up over the crying. He looked over at her tears dripping down his face.

“You have my promise, that when ever you want to see them, I will bring you to them. This isn’t good buy forever, its I’ll see you later.” His big green eyes stared at her, a look of awe on his face. He nodded and gave Kagome another hug.

“You better protect her Baka-Yasha. I won’t be happy if I come to visit and she’s hurt.” The half demon, made to move towards him to hit, but was quickly stopped by the slayer. Amethyst eyes stared daringly at him. His ears flattened and her crossed his arms over his chest to huff.

With the last words said, Shippou ran over to his mother and the little Kitsune pack moved out. Not much was said as the moved through the trees. Kiyoko didn’t have much of a plan on where they would go, but figured she’d just go with the flow today. She heard her sisters gushing about how cute their brother was and wondering what kind of games they should play. A thought came to Kiyoko at that moment. How far was Shippou into his fox training. She knew her sisters were behind. Not much you could teach while locked in a cage. With that thought in mind she planned on finding a field to begin their training.

Shippou was perfectly content perched in his mothers’ arms. He’d been very young when he lost her, but he remembered her smell. He had a picture of how his mother had looked in his head form descriptions his father had given him. Her skin was awfully pale, but so was everyone else in this little pack. He summered it was because of their life in the cages, not much sun made it to them. He remembered his father saying his mother having bright red hair, but her hair was dulled. It was like it didn’t have much life in it. And her face was very sunken. Dark circles clung under dulled green eyes and her hands were thin as well. He feared that she wasn’t long for this world, and that saddened him. He’d only just got her back, and he knew he was going to lose her.

But he had sisters who could teach him, and they were kind. He looked to the two sisters beside him and his mother. One had fiery red hair, and he wondered for a moment if that was what his mother’s hair looked like at one time. She had a soft face, and bright emerald greed eyes. She was also very bubbly talking about nothing and everything. She would ask questions, and his mother would answer softly. She was on the short side, and Shippou wondered if that was because she was still young or if that’s where she had stopped growing.

The vixen next to her was quieter but would smile often to her. Her hair was black, but he could see when hit by the light, it had a brown undertone. Her eyes were soft blue, but her face was sharper then the red headed sister. A sharp but small nose, and sharp defined chin. And both of them had some weight on them. He wondered how skinny they were when they had escaped. She also wasn’t very tall, maybe a few inches taller than the other sister. A question popped into his head and he couldn’t stop himself before he spoke.

“How did you all escape the cages?” He blushed when three of the four females looked at him. But it wasn’t quiet for long as the red headed sister began to speak.

He stared at her intently as she told of what happened. Their brother acting weird, like he was possessed. Kiyoko freeing all the vixens locked up and fighting any male that came at them. How they ran from the estate as Kiyoko went into her big form and blew fire from her mouth. How they waited, hidden in the trees for her to come to them, and lead them far away form that hell. And Shippou was in awe. He had such a strong and caring older sister. He looked up to her walking. She looked like she was ignoring them, but he could see the small smile at the edge of her lip. He thought on the story as the red head continued.

“Maybe it was a flea…” He spoke up, causing everyone to go quiet.

“A flea? What would make you suspect a flea?” He looked over at Kiyoko and smiled.

“Inuyasha has a flea demon. He was his father’s servant. Anyways, the flea, Myoga, was supposed to get married this other flea. She hunted him down, but to move around she would bite onto another, stronger person and possessed them. It was funny when Inuyasha was possessed cause he hopped around like a flea. If your brother was bitten by a flea, he’d move around and do what they asked.” Shippou smiled and puffed up his chest in pride.

“Maybe your right, I wonder, the next time we see your friends, if we can perhaps speak to this flea. Maybe he would know if it was a flea that possessed him.” She chuckled slightly and stopped on the edge of a little field and looked around. She could feel Rikka practically bouncing in her skin, wanting to go play in the flowers.

“Its safe Rikka, you can run out there.” At that, Rikka squealed and ran out into the flowers. She quickly disappeared when she fell to lay in the field.

~Fox~

The next few days were spent relaxing, allowing Shippou the chance to get to know his new family, and them to do the same. Kiyoko was amazed at what he’d been able to accomplish with both parents taken from him and told herself she was going to make sure to teach him everything he wanted to know. He loved playing in her tails. Rikka and Izuma had two, and his mother had 4, but Kiyoko at 7. And they were fluffy. She wasn’t someone who cared what people thought about her, but she did lover her tails. And that was the only vain thing about her. Her tails HAD to be perfect. Perfectly soft, perfectly groomed. If they got dirty, she had to stop to clean them. It was because her tails had gotten dirty due to rain and mud that they found themselves at a river.

This was the first time Shippou had laid eyes on his sister, and she was beautiful. She had long, wavy black hair, and when the sun would hit it just right, he could see dark shades of purple. Her eyes were a soft purple when she was relaxed and happy but would change to a deep dark purple when she was annoyed or angry. He saw them change when her tails had gotten dirty. She defined jaw, but a soft nose, and full lips. And she was tall, probably the same height as Inuyasha. He wondered how Inuyasha would react to this when he was face to face with her.

“What happened to your cloths Kiyoko?” Shippou asked while he sat on a rock watching his sisters wash off. Kiyoko sat in the water, the waves lapping at her hip.

“They were old and torn, so I got rid of them. I made sure mother and our sisters were clothed in better kimono’s, but I wasn’t able to acquire one for me.” She spoke quietly as she brushed her fingers through the fur of her tail.

The group moved off from the river after they were all done bathing. Kiyoko, once more in her fox form, lead them back into the trees. Being out in the open was dangerous. Shippou rode on her back, looking incredibly small compared to her horse like height. This situation wasn’t ideal, constantly on the move, but she was happy to have such a pack with her. For once, she felt whole.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Izanami-Kami-Sama and Izanagi-Kami-Sama were the first male and female created. The were eventually married and had many children. Their children were the islands that made up Japan. Izanami died giving birth to one of her children and moved on. Izanagi loved and missed her so much and when into the underworld to bring her back. But when he arrived, Izanami had already eaten the fruit of death, but planned to speak to one of the stronger Kami if she could come back to the world of the living. The entire time she hid in the shadows as she talked to her husband. Finally, wondering why she was hiding, he brought light to the underworld and exposed her while she was sleeping. He found that she was rotting and screamed in fright and ran off back to the world of the living. Their relationship has been estranged ever since.  
> Izanami is the goddess of creation and death, and Izanagi is the god of Creation and life. I used their story and twisted it to work better with my story. Hope you like it! Leave me a comment on what you thought and on any questions, you have!  
> Also, I have Kiyoko being about 700 years old.


	5. Death

Death

The week following Shippou joining the little pack, was slow, and Kiyoko was happy for it. It gave them all a chance to get to know each better. Rikka and Izuma were perfect playmates for Shippou. They exhausted his immense energy. Shippou taught them tag, a game he said Kagome had taught him. Kiyoko would call it chase but didn’t correct it. The slow pace was also better for her mother. Her health was still declining, and Kiyoko feared she’d be saying good buy to her mother soon. What upset her more, was Shippou would have to say good buy again. He’d just gotten his mother back, and the thought of him upset at her passing, upset Kiyoko more.

With the knowledge of her mother not getting better, she made a point for them to stop often and relax. Scenting the air, she headed towards the smell of water. There they could drink, maybe get some fish for supper, and the younger kitsune’s could play in the water. Spring was moving into summer, and it was starting to get hot. A relaxing day by the river was exactly what her little pack needed. The pack followed their alpha without a question and continued another game that Shippou had taught them.

“I spy with my little eye…uhm…yellow!” Shippou cried out and smiled. Kiyoko was pleased with this game because it helped her sisters learn the different colors and object around them.

“Is it a flower?” Izuma whispered as she pointed to a flower that Kiyoko passed.

“Yep! Your turn Izuma!” Shippou smiled from Kiyoko’s back.

“Oh…um…I spy…something white.” She said as she looked at everything around them.

“Oh oh oh! Is it the clouds!” Rikka asked excitedly, but she received a head shake of no. Her lip jutted out as she pouted and looked around.

The game sizzled out as the came upon the river. Kiyoko walked up to the water and lowered her head to drink. She felt Shippou slide off her to follow her example. Everyone sat along the edge of the river and drank. No one spoke as they drank their fill, obviously parched. Kiyoko was the first to lift her head and ran her tongue around the edge of her mouth. She looked up and down the river, trying to find the best pace to hunt. Jumping up on a boulder, she slowly sliding herself as close to the river and watched.

Everyone sat along the edge watching her, keeping as quiet as possible. Something she was very happy about, because she wanted to be as focused as possible on her task. Seeing a fish swim by, she lunged herself into the water. Standing up, her head wiggled as the fish thrashed in her mouth. She moved towards the bank, handing the fish off to one of her sisters. The group left the bank with the fish, leaving Kiyoko in the water. Shaking out her fur, she turned back to the water and walked to another rock. One fish would not feed her family.

 

~Fox~

 

That night Kiyoko had found a little cave for her family to sleep in. Her fishing only yielded 2 fish, putting a little food in the bellies over her pack. She had not eaten, her pack needing the food more then her. Her family lay asleep at the back of the cave, leaving Kiyoko in the middle. She’d have it this way every time, so anything that dared to rush in and harm her pack they’d meet her first. She laid, half curled with her tails under chin, while she stared out of the cave. She heard rustling behind her but paid it no mind. Her sisters and Shippou tended to move around a lot in their sleep. She lifted her head and looked behind her when she heard walking.

Her mother was up and walking over to her. Tilting her head, she pushed herself up and looked at her. Moriko said nothing to her, only sitting down next to her and staring out of the cave. Kiyoko looked out of the mouth of the cave also. When she was ready to speak, she would start when she was comfortable. It was an unusually comfortable silence. Being near each other always bothered her mother. Kiyoko didn’t much care.

“I am worried about leaving Shippou behind again.” Was spoken so softly Kiyoko looked to her mother to be sure she had actually spoke.

“I am so tired all the time. And when I sleep, I’m worried I won’t wake up.” Her mother looked down at her hands. Her thumb was rubbing small circles in the palm of her hand.

“If you worried that Shippou doesn’t have a place here, its unnecessary. If he wishes to stay with us if you pass on, he will be welcome with open arms. I would not abandon him.” Her mother flinched thinking back on a time when she had abandoned her own child.

“Kiyoko, I’m…” She stopped when a black tail wrapped around her.

“There is no need to be sorry. I have not been angry with you nor hated you.” She stared out of the cave, the trees moving in the wind.

“I understand why you left. I understood it then too. You needed to move on from the trauma, and I was just a reminder. I forgave you long time ago.” Her tail tightened around her mother’s shoulder.

She felt arms wrap around her and her mothers face bury itself into her neck. She felt her mother shake, smelt the tears she cried. They stayed that way for a time, her mother crying and Kiyoko silently comforting her. No more words needed to be spoke, the air around them calming, no longer filled with tension. When all the tears had poured themselves out of her mother, she sighed in relief and moved back to where she slept.

Morning came, and Moriko didn’t wake up. Kiyoko sat near her mother, just looking at her. She wanted her family to wake up on their own, for now this moment was hers. Her heart hurt after the conversation they had, but she wondered if that was something her mother needed. The closure from their past. Slowly her pack woke, rubbing eyes, oblivious to what happened during the night. Shippou, of course, was the first to noticed. He ran over and shook Moriko’s shoulder.

“Momma, Momma wake up. Please wake up.” Tears rolled down his cheeks. Slowly her sisters moved over to them.

“Why, why’d she have to go.” Shippou bawled. He was easily lifted by Kiyoko’s tail and brought over to her. He nuzzled into her fur and cried. The entire cave was quickly enveloped in sadness and the smell of salt water. A soft rumble came from Kiyoko’s chest, slowly calming everyone in the cave.

“Come, we cremate her, and let her ashes become one with nature.” She placed the young kit on the ground next to her. With a nudge of her tails, he began to walk out of the cave.

His sisters followed him into the surrounding forest and they all began to pick up sticks and large pieces of wood. Kiyoko carried the larger pieces on her back with her tails keeping them from moving. She lead them back to the cave, where, just out side the mouth of the cave, they placed the wood in a neat pile. In a burst of black and purple flames, Kiyoko was back on two legs, and walking into the cave. Her siblings stayed by the pile of wood, watching her. Her seven tails fanned out below her, looking like the train of dress; her hair meeting just at the base of her tails. She stood strong, even as she knelt down to pick up her mother.

Shippou sniffled, but even through his sorrow, he watched in awe at his older sister. She didn’t shed a tear, but he could tell from her aura she was upset. She was so strong, trying to keep herself together to be there for him and their sisters. He watched her lay their mother upon the stacked wood. She took a few steps back and motioned for them to gather around her.

“Together, we will throw our fox fire into the wood, and release her from this world. Her soul will be free, and her body will become one with nature. She will not be in pain any longer.” Her siblings looked to her and then their mother.

With hands held up, their fox fire materialized in their palms. Kiyoko knelt down, and her siblings followed her move. She reached on her hand and touched the wood, and her siblings mirrored. Slowly, the timber caught fire, and grew. Kiyoko stood and stepped back so she could watch. Her siblings snuggled up against her as the watched. Each sending their own prayers to the Kami, asking for peace for their mother. The flames grew large consuming their mother’s body in reds, greens, blues and purples. They waited there, watching till everything had become ash.

When the flames became embers, was when Kiyoko moved. She bent over and picked up Shippou and held him against her bare chest. He hugged his tiny arms around her neck and nuzzled. She rubbed soothing circles into his back before she spoke.

“Shippou, I want to ask you something. This is by no means me saying I’m getting rid of you, but I want you to have a choice. I know you do not know us that well, but if you wish to go back to your friends, that’s okay. You will always have a place with us, and we’d love for you to stay.” Shippou leaned back and looked at her. He gave a little smile and patted her cheek with his small hands.

“I want to stay with my family Kiyoko. There’s no where I’d rather be.” She smiled, and her amethyst eyes softened before touched his forehead with hers.

“I will always protect you Shippou, and I will teach you to be a greater Kitsune then I ever could be.” He smiled and licked her chin as a sign of affection.

“Come, you three. We need to keep moving.” She set Shippou down on the ground and began walking.

Her body engulfed in black flames, leaving her back in her kitsune form. Her sibling quickly followed her. Wrapping a tail around Shippou, she placed him on her back. Her and her sisters walked to fast for his little legs to keep up. Her tails wrapped themselves around each other, leaving her to look like a four tail kitsune. Today and a been a heart-breaking day. She could feel Shippou rubbing his face into her fur, trying in vain to stop his tears. She gave a soft rumble in her chest, calming the young kit to curl up in her fur and fall asleep. In one morning, she had gone from protective sister, to mother figure of her three younger siblings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is short, but not much needed to be said than what was done. Let me know your thoughts! I love and breath reviews!


	6. Friends

Friends

One full moon cycle had happened since their mother died, and Shippou and her sisters were cooping well. At one point they had run across the Inu-Gang. Shippou was excited to see them and talked to them about everything he was learning. Kiyoko got to learn more about her brothers’ friends as well. The monk was a masochist, she was sure of it. She had watched him try and flirt with her sisters only to be knocked unconscious with the slayers weapon. She stared at him, wondering what went through his head that made him think that was okay. Sango had apologized profusely to Kiyoko and her sisters. Kiyoko quirked her lip and shrugged. They left before the sin set, wanting to go find a place to bed for the night.

The memory faded from the vixen’s thoughts as she looked ahead of her. The summer was a sweltering one. Shippou wouldn’t ride on her back cause her fur was always so hot. Shaking herself out, she hoped a cool breeze would blow through her fur, but she wasn’t in luck. She looked back towards her siblings, they were panting and just as uncomfortable in this weather. Decision made, she made her way further into the trees. It was time to find a cool place to rest.

The day began to wane, and Kiyoko started looking for a place to rest. Maybe tomorrow they’d be able to find some cool water to relax in. Picking a spot hidden by bushes, her siblings began to find places to lay. Normally, Rikka and Izuma would cuddle together, but the days heat had them laying separate from each other. She shook her head seeing them reach hands out to at least be touching each other in some way. Kiyoko laid out on her side, letting the cool earth zap away the heat of her body. Shippou made his way over to her and curled up next to her. Despite the heat, he always had to sleep close to her. A tail thumped the ground letting Shippou know she was happy he was close.

Kiyoko listened as her families breathing evened out and they fell asleep. Closing her own eyes, she relaxed. She was about to fall into a light sleep when screaming could be heard. Kiyoko quickly stood up, which disturbed Shippou. Her sisters we’re quick to move into a sitting position. They listened carefully, and another scream was heard.

“It sounds like a little girl, Kiyoko,” Shippou whispered, “We need to go find her, she’s in trouble.”

She looked down at her brother, wondering if Kagome’s need to save everyone had rubbed off on him. She sighed and nodded her head. Standing up, she made her towards the screams, her siblings following at a slower pace. She walked out from behind a tree only to have the young girl trip right at her feet. She jumped at the sudden movement. The young girl whimpered and looked up at her. Her big brown doe eyes filled with tears. Hearing hissing, she lifted her head to look at a lizard demon, glaring at her.

“She’s my meal fox, get lost.” It hissed. It began to puff up its body making it look bigger and tougher then it was. Kiyoko sneered.

“The child will not be your dinner tonight. Be gone before I kill you.” She glared at him, and the lizard shivered.

“Like hell f-fox! That’s my meal!” He tried to stay strong but turned and ran when Kiyoko expanded her aura.

“Fool.” She murmured before looking down at the young child.

“Are you okay little one?” The girl slowly pushed herself up and sniffled.

“Rin is okay, but Rin would really like to go back to Lord Sesshomaru now.” Her hand came up to rub the tears from her eyes. Kiyoko felt Shippou stiffen at her side, and she lifted an eyebrow at him.

“And where is this Lord Sesshomaru Rin?” She turned back to look at the young girl. She sniffled and looked around, only to start crying again.

“Rin doesn’t know! Master Jaken made me go get my own dinner and Rin got lost. And…And then Rin ran into that lizard, and Rin is even more lost now.” She whimpered. Kiyoko wrapped a tail around the young girl and pulled her to her chest. Rin clung to her fur and cried. Cried out her fear and her sorrow. Shippou tip toed close and patted her shoulder.

“We’ll help you find Lord Sesshomaru, Rin.” Shippou comforted, trying to be brave for the little girl.

“Come along little one, lets go get some sleep. We’ll start looking for your Lord in the morning, okay.” Kiyoko quietly spoke. Rin held on to the fur around her neck as Kiyoko lead her back to where her family had bedded down for the night.

Once there everyone got back to where they had been sleeping. Shippou curled up into Kiyoko. Rin looked around, trying to figure out where she was going to sleep. Shippou motioned for her to come lay with him and she quickly laid next to him. Kiyoko curled around them, wrapping her tail over them for protection. Soon, everyone was snoozing, and relaxed. Kiyoko wondered how she was going to find this Lord Sesshomaru. Closing her eyes, she went into a light sleep.

~Fox~

Kiyoko made sure the next for days were slow. Rin was still very upset about being separated from her Lord. Shippou was doing his best to cheer her up. Kiyoko stopped right outside a field much to Rikka and Rin’s excitement. Their shared love of flowers was something they bonded over quickly. Especially when Rin showed Rikka how to make flower crowns.

“Kiyoko, look what I made!!” Rikka said excitedly, quickly running over to her sister and putting the crown on her head.

“She needs a neckless!!” Rin hollered before running around and picking more flowers.

Kiyoko soon found her self being decorated in all the flower’s they could pick and weave together into some kind of jewelry. She sighed and looked at them like they were crazy causing the sisters to cackle at her expense. Shippou smiled and put a small crown over her ear.

“You all are incorrigible.” She spoke with a lop-sided grin on her muzzle, causing a new wave of giggles to erupt.

Sighing, but not irritated with her little family, she got up and stretched. She made a motion with her tail and everyone started to follow her. Shippou took Rin’s hand to keep her close as they followed his now flower laden sister. It was nice having another young child with them to keep Shippou entertained.

“Where we headed Kiyoko?” Shippou asked, watching his sister move through the forest easily.

“I’m trying to find us some water. Its hot and relaxing by the water sounds nice, no?” Everyone was excited for that.

“Do you think Lord Sesshomaru will be there?” Rin asked, and Kiyoko looked back over her shoulder to the young girl.

“If we keep ourselves out in the open more, we should come across him, or he’ll come across us.” Kiyoko looked back in front of her. The only down side to this plan is that it left them open to her sire finding them as well. Rin seemed happy with her logic and didn’t ask any more questions.

Kiyoko walked out of the trees and looked around. The lazy river flowed before her, but she needed to make sure there wasn’t any danger around it. Seeing that things were safe, she flicked her tail forward and her little pack moved their way out of the trees. Her sisters quickly rolled up their kimono’s and stepped into the water. Shippou jumped right in splashing his sisters. They cried out but quickly splashed him back.

“If you want to go play in the water Rin, go ahead. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.” Rin smiled up at her and ran over to the water to help Rikka and Izuma splash Shippou.

“No fair! Three and against one isn’t fair guys!” Shippou ran behind a rock to escape the water.

“You shouldn’t have splashed us first Kit!” Izuma said as she moved around the rock and splashed him, causing him to scream and laugh before running away.

Kiyoko watched from the bank as they ran around splashing each other. This was the perfect way to spend a hot summer day.

~Fox~

Kiyoko watched as her little pack ran around playing tag, again. She shook her head amused at their need to play the silly game, but she liked that the children would pass out quickly. Sitting back, she lifted her back leg to scratch at her jaw. She really hated being in this form all the time. What she would give to have her hands back! A loud squall had Kiyoko jumping to her feet and looking around. Izuma and Rika were quick to scoop up the children and run over to her. Everyone was quiet, as they listened closely to the everything around them.

“…IIIINNNN!!!” A look of discomfort crossed the Kitsune’s faces. The voice was loud and shrill. Kiyoko shook out her coat to get rid of her discomfort.

“Is something dying?!” Shippou cried, his little hands covering his poor abused ears.

“If it is, someone needs to put it out of its misery quickly!” Izuma grunted. What ever this creature was, is was pissing her off.

“……RIIIIIINNNN!” Kiyoko flinched backwards, her eyes squinting.

“It’s calling for Rin!” Rika shrieked and held the young girl closer, as if to protect her from the unknown Spector.

“It sounds like Master Jaken!!” Rin exclaimed happily. A look of disgust crossed all the Kitsune’s faces. The creature that failed to protect this sweet child, and now he was making so much noise. Alerting every demon in the area to where he was.

The next thing she knew, a small green blob fell out of the woods. It was disheveled, his cloths ripped and torn. Bruises and bumps littering his face and head. It looked like one of his eyes was swollen shut. He looked a hot mess. Everyone just stared at him, curious as to what he was doing.

“Master Jaken?” Rin timidly spoke, which caused the kappa to jump to his feet. His face was ecstatic till he spotted who Rin was with.

“Give me the child you filthy foxes!” He waved his staff above his head. Kiyoko guessed in the hopes of making him look bigger.

No one moved and a stare of ensued. Kiyoko glared hard at the creature, wanting so badly to leave with Rin. This idiot had put the child in danger and was demanding she return to him?! The nerve!

“Rin will not be handed off to you toad. I will return her to her Lord and ONLY her Lord.” Jaken green skin flushed red.

“Insolent vixen! Staff of Two Heads!” Kiyoko was enveloped in fire, and everyone behind her gasped. Not that they were worried it hurt her, but that the kappa actually attacked her.

A snarl ripped its way past Kiyoko’s lips. Jumping through the fire, she tackled Jaken to the ground and barred her teeth inches from his face. Jaken screamed and tried to push her off him only to have her growl and snap her teeth into his shoulder. He screamed out in pain but stopped moving. He stared up at her in fear and stared into her eyes. Slowly she released his shoulder and made sure to snarl close to his eye. Showing the blood that dripped form her fangs.

“You are a brainless fool! I will not give the child back to someone who is so reckless! It was I who saved her after you had her go out and hunt for herself! I will give her back to no one else but her Lord. Until then, she is safer with me.” She snarled one last time before walking back over to her group.

She stopped when she smelt salt form tears. Looking around her eyes landed on Rin, whose hands were wiping away fat drops of tears form her face. Kiyoko’s tails reached out, picking up the child and bring her close to her. Kiyoko sat and held Rin to her chest and gave a soft rumble to calm her. Sniffles began to slow down, and Kiyoko licked her cheek affectionately.

“Why do you cry sweetie?” Rin clung to her fur, rubbing her face along Kiyoko’s chest for comfort.

“Rin didn’t like that Master Jaken attacked you. And…and Rin was scared that Lady Kiyoko was gonna kill him.” Kiyoko laid her head over the small girl’s shoulder and pushed her close to her chest.

“No, I will not kill the toad. I need him alive, if he’s going to tell your Lord what he did.” Rin looked up at her and smiled.

“It’s always funny when Lord Sesshomaru punishes Master Jaken.” Kiyoko’s eyes softened at the young girl.

“Let go find a place to relax for the rest of the night, shall we? We’ve all had a trying day.” Rin nodded into her chest as Kiyoko stood up.

“Come, Toad, you will travel with us. Have to keep an eye on you. Can’t let the demons you attracted kill you before your Lord has his chance to maim you.” Jaken shuddered in fear. The vixen had a dark look cross her face. The Kami’s sure had it out for the loyal retainer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that its been so long. Its finals week, and being an accounting Major SUCKS! one more final and i'm done for the semester. Let me know what you think. I don't know why, but this chapter was hard to write. I knew how i wanted to work it, but it was hard to get it written down. My hope is to get another chapter or two out before Christmas!


	7. Meeting I

Meeting I

For the tenth time that day, Sesshoumaru questioned himself. Why did he allow that kappa to follow him? Why did he allow him to watch over Rin? He had proven many times just how incapable he was of watching her. And he never really took care of her properly. Many time’s he’d come back to his pack and his ward was not fed. He could hear her stomach growl and it made him frustrated. He looked out the corner of his eyes towards his dragon steed. The two headed dragon was depressed. Rin really made his pack smile.

Sesshoumaru left with his dragon steed back to his estate to stock up on more supplies. He had made sure they had enough provisions to keep Rin fed. Only to return to find Jaken freaking out trying to find his ward, and his ward gone. He made sure Jaken was unconscious on the ground and covered in bruises and lumps before walking away. He didn’t know what happened, but he knew Jaken was to blame. Now he needed to find his ward.

If anything had harmed a hair on her little head, he’d be skinning that worthless servant and leaving him for the vultures. He moved out from the trees to a small little glad. Jaken and his ward had been left here when he had gone to his estate. He had moved quickly to find the kappa only to find that his ward was not with him. Seemed he had been looking for Rin for a while and was terrified of Sesshoumaru’s presence. After a through beating, Sesshoumaru left to get back to the glad and follow Rin trail from there.

Taking a deep breath, he found Rin’s week-old scent and followed it. He followed the trail her cold scent made and found, where he assumed, she was had tried digging up a root. A quick observation told him it was eatable, which meant she was looking for food. He glared at the exposed root, and cursed Jaken for the twelfth time that day. Yes, he kept count of how many times he questioned himself and cursed the toad. He was furious to find out the toad left the girl to hunt for herself. Jaken was going to be skinned.

He quickly found the reason for the girl to run from her digging. He scented a lizard. Eye’s narrowing dangerously, moved forward, the steady stomping of his dragon steed following him. He found small and large footsteps from both Rin and the lizard. Then he found the skid mark in the ground where his ward apparently tripped and skidded across the ground. He sniffed around, and slowly blink in shock. He smelt a vixen and the fox kit that followed his brother. Why was the kit not with his brother? And where had a vixen come from?

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen a vixen. Kuromatsu had done his best to round up every vixen he could get his hands on. This brought him back to a conversation he had at his estate. One of his visor’s had told him that vixens had been popping up everywhere. Sesshoumaru paid no mind to it because this wasn’t the first-time rumors were being spread of a vixen being spotted. But here was the scent of a vixen, who seemed to go out of her way and save a human child. He followed the scent, which lead to a circle of bushes where the scent of two more vixen’s were found.

He looked around at the bushed and trees surrounding and reached out his aura where he felt the tail-tale sighs of magic. She had put up a barrier while they slept. Finding this out, he went back to sniffing at the stale scents left where they had bedded. Three vixens, the kit that followed Inuyasha, and his Rin had slept here. From where they slept, he could deduce that the kit and Rin had slept with the Vixen that had saved his ward.

He sniffed around trying to see where they went from here, but he couldn’t find a trail. He cursed in the privacy of his mind. She had covered her tracks. If what his visor had said was true and vixens were popping up, they must have been released or escaped. Covering their tracks so that no one could follow. Walking over to Ah-Un, he pulled out a parchment of paper and wrote down a note for his visors.

_‘I have found evidence that vixens are running around. Find out where they have come from. If they were released or escaped. If you find a vixen, grant them sanctuary in the western citadel.’_   
_Sesshoumaru_

He let the note dry, then rolled it up. He put it in a flap of Ah-Un’s saddle and looked to his steed. “Take this back to my visor’s. Once delivered, leave to find Rin or I. Do not wait for a reply.” Ah-Un groaned and nodded his head before taking off into the skies, back towards the estate.

Sesshoumaru turned from where his steed went and reached out his aura. It was time to find his brother. If the kit was following a Vixen, then Inuyasha’s group may know how to find her. He found his brothers aura and took to the skies upon his cloud. There was no time to wait.

 

~Fox~

“You are not going in the right direction! Lord Sesshoumaru is this way, you filthy vixen!” Jaken screamed hurting the demons in the group’s ears. Kiyoko was trying hard not to kill the creature. She really was.

She counted to ten in her head and took a deep breath and let it out slowly. How did this Lord Sesshoumaru deal with such an annoying servant? This lord had to have the patients of a saint. She turned to level the annoying creature with a death glare that had him gulping. She opened her mouth to retaliate was surprised when Shippou jumped in.

“Silence you stupid toad, Spinning Top!” He jumped into the air off Kiyoko’s back and threw out his top that quickly bounced on Jaken’s head then tripled in size and spun around on the toad’s head.

It was silent as the top spun on his head. Everyone was still as the top whirled its way down to its smaller size leaving Jaken flat on the ground unconscious. Then everyone burst out into a fit of laughter. Kiyoko stared at the top with a big smile on her face.

“Way to go Shippou. I am very proud of you. Since we will be here for some time till the kappa wakes, why don’t you teach your sisters this trick.” She turned to look at her sisters who were beginning to pick themselves back up, whipping tears from their eyes.

“Time for you two to start back up on your training. Shippou will be your teacher today.” Shippou jumped in front of Kiyoko and puffed up his chest.

“Come sisters, I will show you the spinning top.” He held his head up proudly and moved more into the field.

“When Jaken wakes you can test your skills on him.” Kiyoko quickly added as she watched her sisters follow Shippou. Kiyoko sat down, and Rin made herself comfortable in between her front legs.

“Are we going away from where lord Sesshoumaru is?” Rin asked, looking up at the underside of Kiyoko’s chin.

“Jaken is expecting his lord to be where he last saw him. Do you think Sesshoumaru would be waiting around in one spot for Jaken to return with you or do you think he is out there looking for you?” Kiyoko tilted her head and looked at the young girl. She watched Rin, as the young girl looked at her hands.

“Lord Sesshoumaru is looking for me. I know he is.” Kiyoko nodded at her words.

“Then it is useless for us to return to where Jaken last saw your lord, for your lord is out there looking for you. Best of us to keep moving and searching instead of staying in one spot. And even if we stayed in one spot, that would put my pack in danger.” Kiyoko said as she watched Izuma jump up and swing the top out in front of her. It became large instantly then shrunk then became big again then went to its original size before falling over.

“Why can’t we stay in one spot? Why is it dangerous?” Rin asked curiously.

“Our sire looks for us. He wishes to harm me and my sisters. So, I keep us moving, that way he can’t find us.” Rin nodded at that, understanding what she said. Rin saw a tail of Kiyoko’s and pulled it to her. She found comfort in petting the fur, and Kiyoko didn’t mind the attention.

“Focus Rikka, you’re not letting it get big enough before you relax your aura.” Shippou scolded making Rikka pout. She picked up her top and wound it around the string she used to throw it. Stepping back, she jumped in the air and threw the top. It tripled in size, for a second, before becoming smaller and falling over.

“Shippou, you did good that time. Try again.” He encouraged before looking over to Izuma’s. Hers had tripled in size and kept its size for a bit before becoming smaller.

“Way to go Izuma!” Shippou shouted. Kiyoko was quickly learning that Izuma was becoming more of a fighter than Rikka was. She wondered if Rikka would be better at becoming a healer. She already had an affinity with flowers and learned everything she could about the different medicinal properties a plan had. Izuma struggled with remembering the basic healing herb.

She turned at the sound of Jaken stirring and watched him. He blinked his bulbus eyes and stared out in the field before him. The stupid Kit was teaching his sisters that top trick. He squawked loudly at being picked up. He stared at the fluffy black appendage that held him up in the air.

“Sisters, your test subject is awake.” She watched Shippou, Rikka, and Izuma turn to look at her with foxy grins.

“Next time, you’ll remember not to order me around toad. Oh, and you should be warned. This is their first time learning the Spinning Top. The tops will constantly change sizes. Don’t think that just cause its small, that it is over.” She slowly looked at Jaken who was looking at her with a new-found fear.

She quickly swung him out into the field and he bounced before sliding to a halt. He groaned but was quickly scrambling to his feet at three voices yelling Spinning top. He began running and screaming as a top zoomed past him. Skidded to a halt and ran the other direction when one popped up in front of him and chased him. Rin giggled from between her legs. Jaken was running around in circles trying to avoid the tops. It was comical seeing the tops changing sizes and the toad running halting and running in a different direction, only to have to make a U-turn to escape another. Kiyoko chuckled when a top spun right over him and dug him into the ground. With Jaken down for the count, the tops went to their original sizes and fell over.

Kiyoko stood up them and walked her way over to Jaken. She heard him groaning, face down in the dirt. She sat next to him waiting for him to push himself up. When he did, he looked over at her and whipped back in fear.

“I hope you’ve learned your lesson toad. If you wish to talk, do so in a quieter voice. And don’t, and I mean Don’t order me around. You are not higher ranking them me, nor are you stronger.” Standing up she began walking back into the trees.

“Come everyone, we find a place to sleep for the night.” Kiyoko called out over her shoulder and her pack quickly followed after her. Jaken slowly followed, scared to be too close to the vixens.

~Fox~

Inuyasha slid across the ground and smacked into a tree. He groaned and pulled himself up and held out is sword. Sesshoumaru stood off to the side and stared at him. He needed to wear Inuyasha down before he could get any word in. The half-breed was very tiering. He watched his little group out the corner of his eye. They were just sitting down watching the battle…. well, ass whopping. Inuyasha wasn’t doing much fighting. He was spending most of his time being thrown around.

“Inuyasha, can you stop this now?” Kagome spoke, bored of the fight.

“He’s our enemy wench. He wants to kill us all.” He growled back and glared darkly at his brother.

“Oh please, if he wanted to kill us, we would have been dead before you started fighting him.” She muttered and stood up. She dusted off her skirt and knees and looked at Inuyasha.

“Don’t make me say it, please.” She said tiredly. Inuyasha flinched and glared at her. With that, Sesshoumaru knew it was over.

“Where is the kit?” He leveled the young woman down with blank stare. She flinched and stared at him shocked.

“Why do you ask Lord Sesshoumaru?” Miroku spoke and stood next to Kagome. Sango moved to stand on the other side of Kagome to stare at the lord.

“His scent was found with a vixen and this one’s ward.” He spoke curtly.

“Rin’s missing?! I am sorry to hear that Lord Sesshoumaru. He is with his family. We stumbled across his Mother and his three sisters. He wanted to leave with them.” Sesshoumaru stared coldly at her.

So, the vixens were related to him. That was interesting, but what did that make the kit. Was he the spawn of Kuromatsu? How was he related to the vixen’s? He looked at the small group, and figured his questions were best suited for Shippou and the vixens. But where to find them?

“Where is this group?” he spoke, ‘causing the group before him to blink.

“We don’t know. They come and go when Shippou wants to see us. We haven’t seen them in nearly a moon cycle.” Miroku said. Sesshoumaru glared at the monk, causing Miroku to tense. That didn’t help the lord out much.

“What do the vixen’s look like?” he asked next. If he saw one from a distance, then he could get to Rin quicker.

“Uh, there is his three sisters, his mother recently passed. Rikka is about my height with Bright red hair with green eyes. Izuma is a couple inches taller with dark black hair, she’s the quieter of the sisters and has blue eyes. And the oldest and alpha of the sisters is Kiyoko. I haven’t seen her in her human form. She doesn’t have cloths, so she walks around in her fox form. She’s a black kitsune and about the size of a horse.” Kagome listed off. Sesshoumaru stared at her. Kagome wondered if he was actually staring at her or thinking and she was the grounding point.

“Oh, Kiyoko also has purple eyes and can talk in her fox form. It surprised the hell out of us. I don’t think I’ve ever met any demon who could talk in their demonic form.” She looked at her little group.

“The only ones I’ve met that could were older, even then it a hard-difficult process to be able to do such a thing. Lot of magic involved.” Sango spoke and looked at Sesshoumaru. She gulped looking at him. His eyebrows were raised in surprise. This was the first time the group had ever seen a look other than hatred or blank straight faced. He turned from the group and walked into the surrounding forest. He had to find this vixen. Inuyasha and his group looked at each other, wondering if they said to much.

“You know, I think that’s the most I’ve ever heard him talk.” Kagome stated matter of factly before her and her group wondered off on their merry way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I came up with Kuromatsu on the spot years ago, never really looking to see if the name held any meaning. Doing research i found the Matsu means Pine tree and is also feminine. Opps So his name means Black Pine tree. XD 
> 
> On a side note, this chapter got really long so i had to separate it into two chapters. Meeting I came out to about 7 pages and Meeting II came out to 10 pages. So decided i'd just separate them and make everyone happy with two chapters. Hope you enjoy! Comments and reviews are my fuel!


	8. Meeting II

Meeting II

Kiyoko laid curled around the two children as they and her sisters slept. The sun was barely showing itself, so she made no move to wake them. She stared at Jaken, whom was sitting against a tree rubbing his staff down with a cloth. She was happy that he was being quiet for once. An aura coming right for them caused the hair on the back of her neck to rise.

“Everyone up now!” Kiyoko was quick to her feet as she looked around and then to the sky. Rikka and Izuma jumped up and scrambled over to the children. Moving quickly, they scooped a child each and moved over to Jaken.

Kiyoko had made sure to have an intimate conversation with the toad. If he was going to be following and eating the food, she caught, he was going to be pulling his weight. If anything were to attack them, he was to protect her little pack and Rin, while Kiyoko fought them off. He took her threats seriously and stood proud before the three vixens and Rin. His staff held high ready to be used. Kiyoko’s eyes narrowed as she stared up at the sky. Something was flying right at them.

Kiyoko’s tails fanned out as she jumped back form what was flying at them, landing where she stood. She snarled and glared at…a dragon? She eyed the creature that was huffing and glaring back at her. She ready for an attack when she heard Rin cry out.

“Bad Ah-Un, don’t hurt Lady Kiyoko! She saved Rin!” The young girl squirmed out of Izuma’s arms and ran over to the dragon and grabbed his reins.

“Ah-Un! Where is Lord Sesshoumaru!? Why aren’t you with him you stupid dragon?!” The dragon glared at him. His glare turned into shock when Kiyoko smacked the green imp upside the head.

“I do believe we talked about the volume of your voice. Your voice is shrill and hurts our ears.” Her sisters and Shippou rubbed their ears glaring at the toad.

“Ah-Un, where is lord Sesshoumaru?” Rin asked pouting. The dragon whined and rubbed its heads into her face.

“I’m sure your lord wouldn’t leave the dragon’s side for long. Lets keep moving like we planned. He’ll find your dragon and you shortly.” Rin smiled at the vixen and nodded.

“Your right. May Rin on your back Ah-Un?” The dragon moaned and knelt down for Rin to easily climb up.

Kiyoko began walking, and the now large group followed. Shippou grabbed on to one of her tails and she easily lifted him up to sit on her back. Ah-Un walked behind her, while Rin leaned between its necks to talk to Shippou. Rikka and Izuma walked next to each other, wishing they had been able to sleep in more.

“Vixen, how did the dragon find us? Don’t you put up barriers to keep us hidden at night?” He glared at the back of the infuriating creature.

“I release the barrier when the sun rises. I only do it so that Your lord can feel our aura and hopefully scent out you or Rin. If I didn’t have to get his attention, the barrier would stay till everyone woke up by themselves.” She spoke matter of factly, causing the imp to glare at her. She enjoyed putting him in his place, which infuriated Jaken more. Ah-Un huffed in amusement at Jaken being talked down too.

Kiyoko kept moving, ignoring the grumblings of the annoying servant. Again, she wondered how Sesshoumaru put up with him. He wasn’t really useful and nagged about every little thing. But, then again, he was only arguing with her. She wondered how Jaken acted around this Lord Sesshoumaru. She looked back over her shoulder at the dragon steed. Maybe with his presence, Sesshoumaru would find them fast. As much as she didn’t want Rin to go, she had grown to care for the young girl a great deal, she needed to be back with her lord.

Kiyoko had the feeling they be meeting this lord Sesshoumaru very soon. With that thought in mind, she turned slightly in her steps and started to lead the group towards some hot springs. She would give Rin back to her lord in pristine condition. The kids began laughing at some joke or another. Kiyoko hadn’t paid much attention to what they were talking about as she led the pack. Her little pack settled down shortly after and relaxed as they followed her.

The walk to the hot spring took some time, making it to their location well past noon. She heard the young girls stomach growl and kiyoko looked around sniffing the air. She was brought out of her thoughts when Ah-Un moaned and pointed one of his heads to a satchel on his saddle. Rin looked at him, then crawled across his back to the satchel. Upon opening she gasped happily.

“Lord Sesshoumaru got food!!” Her sisters started walking to the food only to be stopped by a growl from Kiyoko.

“That is not our food. That belongs to Rin and her pack.” Her sisters pouted but nodded.

“You can have some. There’s lots of food here.” Rin smiled.

“That may be Rin, but your Lord is not here to offer it. He is your alpha and that is food he gathered for his pack. It would be rude of us to presume that we can partake in your meal.” Kiyoko spoke softly, and Rin frowned.

“But Rin is sure that Lord Sesshoumaru would offer you some. You saved Rin after all.” Kiyoko chuckled, and her eyes softened at the young girl.

“I did not save you for a reward, and I don’t expect one. You prepare food for you and Jaken. I’ll hunt for Shippou and my sisters. Okay; don’t worry about us.” With that Kiyoko turned to walk off. Shippou quickly jumped down from her back and scurried over to Rin.

“Don’t be sad Rin, Kiyoko will get us food. Let’s gather some wood so we can start a fire.” Shippou patted her arm to comfort her.

Rikka ran her hand over the small girl’s head and lead her to the surrounding woods to start picking up stick. Jaken stood and stared at where the older vixen had gone. She didn’t want a reward. He was sure that when she had heard that Rin belonged to a lord, she’d want some kind of prize for saving the young girl. Was she lying to ease the girl’s troubles about them not wanting to touch their food? He wasn’t sure, and he wasn’t good at gaging people whom were lying. That would be something his lord would have to figure out. Until then, he waddled over to the dragon steed and motioned for him to sit down. He started pulling out some of the food to prepare for his Lord young ward.

Sometime had passed before Kiyoko returned with a doe. She dropped her kill and sat down panting. It was hot out, and her black coat was not helping her body temperature. Her sisters and Shippou yipped in excitement at the sight of the deer. They would be fed good. Kiyoko stood and shook out her coat to hopefully help out with releasing the heat from her body. Her eyes landed on Jaken before she spoke.

“Jaken, would you mind turning your back to me?” Jaken glared at her.

“And why would I do that, vixen?” he quipped, and Kiyoko narrowed her eyes.

“Because I wish to transform so I can cut up the doe, and I do not have cloths on.” Jaken eyes bulged. She was unclothed.

“I have been walking around in this form because it would be improper for me to walk around nothing but my skin. So again, would you please turn and face the other way?” Jaken slowly nodded and turn his back to the vixen.

She sighed and burst into black flame and was quickly transformed into her human form. Rin looked at her and her mouth fell open into a wide smile. Kiyoko focused on the deer, quickly cutting the creature open and pulling out its innards and setting them aside. Ah-Un whined as he looked at the pile of innards. Kiyoko looked at him and blinked before she set about skinning the deer.

“Jaken, does Ah-Un get fed innards often.” Jaken didn’t turn around and stared at the landscape before him.

“Lord Sesshoumaru will treat him with the entrails of a kill after he hunts.” Kiyoko nodded to herself setting the skin off to the side before using her sharp claws cut along a leg to quickly separate it from the body. Her sisters watched her work, wanting to learn how to properly strip a carcass for more meat.

“May I feed him the innards of my deer?” She asked politely, still focusing on her task. She smiled when Ah-Un whined and looked at Jaken.

“Uh…sure, he would like that.” Kiyoko nodded and looked to Rin.

“Would you mind taking off his muzzle, so he can eat?” Rin smiled and quickly ran to her task of unbridling the dragon. The great beast groaned happily and the moment the bridle was removed quickly went to eating the entrails.

“Kiyoko, your really pretty.” Kiyoko stopped and looked at Rin. She stared at her for a second only to realize this was the first time Rin had seen her in the form.

“Thank you very much dear. Have you eaten your lunch?” Rin nodded and put the muzzles down next to Jaken.

“Jaken set out some food for me to eat when I came back with Shippou from finding some wood.” Kiyoko nodded and handed her sisters and Shippou each a leg. They yipped their thanks and began digging into the legs.

“Come then, we go to the hot spring to bath you so that when Lord Sesshoumaru shows up your clean and beautiful for him.” Rin giggled and clapped her hands.

“Master Jaken, where are Rin’s bathing supplies?” Jaken stood up and moved around the back of the steed, so not to look at the unclothed vixen. He quickly made his way to the satchel that held the bathing supplies and pulled out Rin’s.

Rin walked around the eating Ah-Un and smiled when she saw Jaken holding out her bag. She gave the kappa a quick hug before taking the bag and skipping over to vixen. She was standing now and held out her hand for Rin to take. She began to lead the young girl away. Jaken peaked around, just to see where they were walking. The vixen was tall, her long black hair covering the whole of her back. He quickly looked away, glad to know which way they were walking.

“When you’ve finished with your meal, you may join us at the hot spring.” Kiyoko called out over her shoulder. Her family yipping back to her that they understood.

The hot springs were easy to find, and Kiyoko quickly knelt down and helped Rin undress. Picking up the young girl, she stepped into the warm water and wadded over to a shelf that was sticking out. Rin held out her bag and smiled. Kiyoko smiled back and took the bag and set it next to the hot spring. Opening the bag, she pulled out a bar of soap, got it wet, and began rubbing it along Rin’s arms and back.

“Rin like’s hot springs. Lord Sesshoumaru makes sure that we stop at one when ever he scents one out. Lord Sesshoumaru always has Ah-Un escort Rin to keep Rin safe. Though, Rin hates bathing alone. Rin only has other ladies to bathe with her back at the castle.” Rin spoke, growing sad towards the end.

“Maybe we can ask Lord Sesshoumaru if we can visit you ever once in a while. And we can go and bathe in the hot spring and talk.” Kiyoko spoke softly. She hoped she’d be able to see Rin after she was returned.

Rikka was the first sister to join them. She quickly stripped from her kimono, take care to not rip the cloth. Stepping into the spring she sighed as the warm water soaked into her skin. It always felt nice being in the waters. Izuma came next, with Shippou perched on her shoulder. He jumped off her shoulder and flipped in the air before landing off to the side. He quickly stripped and dived into the water. He loved baths, Kagome had always made them fun. Bath time as also fun with his sisters ‘cause they’d always play a little before washing. Izuma slowly stripped and folder her cloths and set them off to the side.

She was quite meticulous about her thing and didn’t throw her cloths around half hazardly. She slowly stepped into the water and sighed as well. She chuckled as she saw Shippou paddle past them, swimming back and forth from one edge to the other in the spring. Kiyoko looked at the kit and quickly splashed him, only to go back to washing Rin like nothing happened. Rin’s hands went to her mouth to stifle her laugh. Shippou glared as water dripped down his face. Rikka splashed him next, then pretended like she was leaning against the edge of the spring relaxing.

Shippou swam to the edge of the spring and got out. He looked at his sisters and smiled. “This means war.” He jumped in the air and fell into the spring, sending water in all direction. He effectively splashed everyone. He swam back to the top of the water and laughed as everyone looked at him, glaring playfully. Rin began laughing, this was the funniest bath she had ever had.

Kiyoko stilled and looked around. She slowly picked up Rin and moved over to her sisters and handed off the girl to them. Something wasn’t right. Rikka held Rin close and watched as Kiyoko reached out and grabbed Shippou and handed him off to Izuma. Kiyoko turned and looked around. Wadding to the edge of the spring, she pulled herself out and looked around. Her eyes trained in on a section of forest on the other side of the springs. She growled low in her throat, warning whom ever was there to leave.

Out walked a burly kitsune with long black hair. Her sisters gasped and began pulling themselves and the children from the waters to move behind Kiyoko. Eyes narrowed at the male as other Kuro’s moved their way out of the trees behind him. She eyed them all down and a smirk came to her lips.

“You look mighty fine standing there Kiyoko. I don’t think we’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing you exposed like this.” The burly kitsune spoke, only to be rewards with a smile from the vixen. He snarled, wondering why she wasn’t fearing him like their sisters were.

“And what brings you here today little brothers?” Kiyoko mocked, crossing her arms in front of her.

“I do believe I’m the eldest little sister, so don’t try to mock us.” The burly kitsune snapped, causing a pearl of laughter to escape the vixen’s throat.

“Oh, dear brother, he must not have told you. Shame on him. I have noticed, you haven’t answered my question. What bring you here today?” She lifted a hand up to inspect her claws, her other arm still crossed over her body.

“We’ve been tasked to bring you back. Father is very displeased with you and the vixens. You should have not left your home.” Kiyoko sneered.

“Oh Ichirou, you don’t know anything. I can tell you this, we will not be going back with you. That place was not a home. And Sire knew you wouldn’t be bringing us back. This is a suicide mission.” Kiyoko put her arm back down to lay atop her other arm.

“Father sent me on this mission ‘cause I am his heir. He knew I would succeed, unlike his other sons.” Kiyoko chuckled. The chuckle sent shivers down the spins of everyone there, including her sisters.

“I guess you didn’t tell sir, did you.” Her eyes leveled down a male standing not far behind Ichirou. Mako shrunk back and stared at her with wide eyes.

“You are not his first-born Ichirou. You never were. You weren’t gifted with his powers. Sadly for sire, I was the one gifted.” The males hunched over ready to pounce. They had a mission, no matter what the vixen before them said.

“Do not worry little brothers, I will not kill you all. I have to send a message to Sire after all. Izuma, who do you think should be my messenger.” Izuma smirked evilly. She lifted a hand and pointed to Mako.

“I agree. I shall send the son who has already failed him. He was the one who released me and sent all this into motion.” The brothers all looked at him in shock. Mako shrunk back and looked at them with wide eyes, fear rolling off his aura.

A barrier appeared around the male and he screamed. He began banging and hitting on the barrier trying to escape. The other males looked at the barrier before looking at the vixen. She hadn’t moved an inch, waiting for them. Ichirou screamed out ‘attack’, and the group of males went running at her. Rin screamed in fear, and the sisters curled around the children to keep them safe. A barrier form around them as one of the males tried to kill them. Black flames struck out from the barrier burning the males face. He screamed in pain and fell back holding his face.

Kiyoko paid him no mind as she moved through the males, claws swiping against each male. The warm wet air around the springs became saturated in the smell of blood. Sesshoumaru had picked up the aura of Ah-Un and had been heading towards it when he heard Rin scream. He flashed to the area ready to kill whom ever tried to harm her. Only to stop, and stare as vixen, bare of any cloths, rushed her way through a small battalion of kitsunes. Her eyes were angry glaring at every kitsune she faced. Her lips were down turned down into a frown. Her tails were spread out around her, spearing those who tried to attack from behind.

Each kitsune that came into contact with her claws, quickly fell to the ground writhing in pain. It was as if they were burning but no fire could be seen on their skin. He watched closely as her claws scrapped the side of one of the males. She had let just a little fire grace her nails and enter through the cut. She was burning them from the inside. The male quickly fell clutching his side, screaming in agony. Instead of battle cries, the spring had dissolved into please of forgiveness. Kiyoko stood in the center of the fallen males and glared at her brother.

Ichirou stared at her, fear rolling through his scent. She stood before him, her pale skin splattered in the blood of her enemies. One of his brothers was speared through the chest by one of her tails. His arms and legs dangled as she held his lifeless body in the air with her tail. She began moving then, her tail tipping and the body fell with a heavy thud. She jumped over the hot spring and landed before the male. He yelped and fell back. He stared up at her, his body going into full shock.

“Do you understand now, little brother. You are nothing to him. A failure. That is why he sent you on this mission. He knew you wouldn’t come back.” She held out her hand and black flames shot out form her skin and landed on the male.

He began screaming for mercy. Hitting himself where the flame hand landed. No mater how hard he tried the fire would not snuff out. She walked away from him as his body engulfed in flame. All the pain he’d ever inflicted on another, burned its way through his system. Pleas for forgiveness and sorry’s echoed through the spring. She slowly walked towards the only one she had left alive. Mako cowered on the ground, begging to be left alone. The barrier disappeared, and clawed hands wrapped themselves around his throat. She pulled him up and held him above her. Tears ran down his cheek, begging to be left alone.

“You will carry a message for me. Go forth and tell sire, I am be his undoing. I am his deliverance. One day, I will slaughter him and his army. And when he faces me, death will be his only escape.” Her claws nicked the side of Mako’s neck as she dropped him.

His hands quickly went to his throat as he stood and began running from the area. Kiyoko turned from him and looked around at the bodies in the spring. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. It had been such a beautiful spring. Waving her hand, the bodies burst into flame. She moved around gathering the cloths of her pack and Rin’s. She walked over to the barrier and knelt down.

“You must be Lord Sesshoumaru. I am sorry we had to meet like this. Let me get Rin clothed and I will bring her back to camp. And do not worry, the barrier was to thick for her to hear anything.” She turned her head towards the lord, who was just leveling her with a blank stare.

Deep down inside she knew it was blank. He was looking her over, calculating her. She turned away from him and released the barrier and reached out for Rin. She was sniffling and quickly wrapped her arms around the vixen’s neck. She shivered in fear and Kiyoko hummed trying to get the young girl to calm.

“Let us go and get dressed, and then we will move back to camp. Lord Sesshoumaru is here.” Rin looked up and around spying her lord. He nodded his head towards the woods and Rin nodded.

Kiyoko stood and walked into the trees, and Sesshoumaru turned and walked to where her little pack had set up camp. Her sisters quickly followed with Izuma still holding tight to Shippou. Once a safe distance from the spring, Kiyoko kneeled down and set Rin to her feet. Setting the cloths in a pile next to her, she pulled out Rin’s and began dressing her. The young girl continued to sniffle as the others began to change around them. Shippou walked over to Kiyoko sniffling. Kiyoko turned slighting and grabbed Shippou’s cloths and began dressing him. Everyone was unusually quiet, as they dressed.

“Sister, are you hurt?” Shippou timidly asked.

“No, I am fine. Rikka, Izuma, you will take the children back to camp. Let Lord Sesshoumaru I went to wash the blood off me. I will be with everyone momentarily.” She stood up once Shippou was clothed and walked back to the springs.

Rikka took Rin’s hand and lead her back towards their camp, giving one last glance back at her sister. She knew Kiyoko had a dark side to her, but the look on her face today was frightening. And Izuma, she enjoyed picking out Kiyoko’s little messenger. She spared a glance at Izuma, who was holding Shippou. He was nuzzled into her neck and Izuma was rubbing her cheek against the top of his head. It was shocking to see her sister having a different side to herself. Rikka wasn’t sure she had such a side.

Sesshoumaru stood ignoring the groveling of his retainer. He was thinking back on the fight. The vixen was a glorious warrior, but it unnerved him a little. He’d never met the woman before and yet a deadly killer wasn’t what she struck him as. He could only assume that circumstance of her life was what brought her to this moment. He’s head turned to see two of the three vixens, the kit, and his Rin walking up. Rin let go of the red heads hands, Rikka if what the Miko had told him was right. Rin ran over and hugged his leg. His hand reached down and rubbed her head. She was healthy and more importantly unhurt.

“Rin is glad Lord Sesshoumaru found Rin. Kiyoko said to let you know she went to wash off the blood. She’ll be with us soon.” Sesshoumaru looked down as the girl spoke then looked over towards the three kitsunes. They simply nodded and looked away from the strong lord. He could see that they weren’t sure what to do in this situation.

His attention quickly flicked over to bushes rustling. Stepping out was a large kitsune, with four large fluffy tails. His eyes narrowed at the fox. He had counted seven tails on the vixen and yet she came back with four. He knew it was her, because of her strong aura and her scent, which was now clean of the blood that had been splattered on her. She watched him look her over, and slowly she unraveled three tails to reveal seven. Jaken had looked up to the noise of bushes to watch the vixen come back. He gasped in shock of how many tails she had. She was a master of hiding things.

“It is safer if I travel with four tails then to travel with seven. I don’t have time for others trying to battle me for my strength. It has also become a habit to hide them from my sire. He did not know I had seven. I am unsure if he knows now.” She sat down and looked at Sesshoumaru.

“This Sesshoumaru has questions for you vixen.” Kiyoko stared at him, eye to eye.

“As you wish, Milord.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, this has been split into 2 chapters because of how long it was becoming. I hope you like it and please leave a comment and review. I love hearing from y'all!


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